CELOSIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. CENTAUREA. 



387 



coming in early summer and lasting for 

 a considerable time. 



C. RAMULOSA is a very distinct and 

 pretty plant, its small short leaves forming 

 cushions completely covered with small 

 white flowers on short stems. Among the 

 stones of a rock garden nothing could be 

 more charming. 



C. SPECTABILIS. In leaf, flowers, and 

 manner of growth, this comes near C. 

 Monroei, but the flower-stems are shorter, 

 and the narrow ray - florets more or 

 less tipped with violet. The variety 

 argentea is a striking plant, hardy and 

 free. 



CELOSIA (Cocks-comb). Indian 

 annuals of the Amaranth family, gener- 

 ally too tender for the open air, though 

 effective in bold groups. For this 

 purpose they should be sown in pans 

 in March, and kept near the glass to 

 prevent the seedlings being drawn, 

 and as soon as they are large enough 

 to handle they should be pricked off 

 into small pots and grown on fast in 

 gentle heat until the crowns are 

 formed. Planted out in June in rich 

 soil, and liberally watered, they con- 

 tinue in good condition for a long 

 time. 



GEL SI A (Cretan Mullein). C. cre- 

 tica is a pretty plant, allied to the 

 Mulleins, with rich yellow flowers and 

 polished buds ; may be treated as an 

 annual. Well grown in good soil, it 

 is distinct and effective. Candia, N. 

 Africa. 



CELTIS (Nettle-tree). Trees of the 

 Elm order, natives of temperate coun- 

 tries, much mentioned in books, and 

 introduced to Britain many years, but 

 have never made much way with us, 

 and are less attractive to planters than 

 other trees of the same order. Among 

 a crowd of synonyms, the following 

 are the names : C. australis, caucasica, 

 glabrata, japonica, mississipiensis, occi- 

 dentalis, and Tournefortii. Some of 

 the kinds are tropical, and not hardy 

 in our country. 



CENTAUREA ( Knapweed) .Peren- 

 nial or annual herbs inhabiting S. and 

 Middle Europe, some being good garden 

 plants, most of them hardy. Some of 

 the southern species require the green- 

 house in winter, but, making free 

 growth out of doors in summer, are 

 freely used for their silvery foliage. 



C. ARGENTEA has elegant silvery Fern- 

 like leaves, and when planted out or 

 plunged in pots has a good effect ; for 



bedding it must be plunged and partly 

 starved to bring out its whiteness. 



C. BABYLONICA. A distinct perennial, 

 tall and with silvery leaves, hardy, and 

 when in good ground its strong shoots 

 with yellow flowers reach a height of 

 10 or 12 feet. The bloom, which con- 

 tinues from July to September, is less 

 attractive than the leaves, but the plant 



Celsia. cretica (Cretan Mullein). 



is at all times picturesque. A free, sandy 

 loam suits it best. Seed. Levant. 



C. CLEMENTEI. A silver-grey-leaved 

 plant of fine form. Small plants from 

 seed are useful for edging bold beds, and 

 when too large for that purpose they may 

 be transferred to borders, or planted out 

 singly on grass. The blossoms are best 



