NICOTIANA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



NIGELLA. 



plant is sufficient for a square yard. 

 S. America. 



NICOTIANA (Tobacco}. Stout half- 

 hardy annuals of rapid growth. The 

 varieties differ chiefly in the stoutness 

 and the height of their stems, and in 

 size of their leaves and flowers, these 

 differences depending largely on cul- 

 tivation. Seed must be sown in 

 February in a warm house or frame. 

 Prick off the plants as soon as they 

 appear, and pot them in a genial heat 

 of, say, 60. Then about the end of 

 May fine plants will be ready for put- 

 ting out from 6 or 8-inch pots. They 

 will start off at once, and not cease 

 growing until frost comes. The most 

 useful of all is N. affinis, used largely 

 in gardens large and small, in distinct 

 groups or with other things. It is 

 much smaller in leaf and habit than 

 .such kinds as N. macrophylla, and. 

 therefore more suitable for small gar- 

 dens. 



N. SANDERS. A hybrid form of rich 

 and varied colour, of easy culture for the 

 flower garden. 



N. SYLVESTRIS. Is one of the most 

 ornamental of these plants. Vigorous 

 habited, it often reaches 3 to 5 feet high, 

 producing over a long season endless num- 

 bers of long tubular white flowers. In 

 some instances the flowers remain open 

 throughout the day. 



NIEREMBERGIA. The only quite 

 hardy Nierembergia is M. rivularis 



Holland Violet, while barely pushed 

 above the foliage are open cup-like 



Nierembergia rivularis. 



(White Cup), one of the handsomest of 

 all. The stems and foliage trail along 

 the ground like those of the New 



Nigella dauiascena. 



creamy-white flowers, usually nearly 

 2 inches across. They continue during 

 the summer and autumn, and have a 

 pleasing effect in the distance, as they 

 suggest Snowdrops at first, and are 

 quite as pretty when closely viewed. 

 To ensure success with Nierembergias 

 have heavy, firm soil, a level surface, 

 and sunny aspect. The tender Nierem- 

 bergias are N. frutescens, a sub-shrubby 

 plant of erect growth, and N. fili- 

 caulis, or gracilis, as it is called, which 

 has slender drooping branches. Both 

 have pretty white flowers pencilled 

 with purple, and are suitable for the 

 rock garden in summer or for drooping 

 over the edges of vases. Propagate 

 by cuttings in spring in heat. 



NIGELLA (Fennel Flower}. Hardy 

 annuals of the Crowfoot family, all 

 curious and pretty with feathery 

 Fennel-like foliage and bluish or 

 yellowish blossoms. N. saliva, N. 

 orientalis, N. damascena (Devil- in- a- 

 Bush), and AT", hispanica are the kinds 

 cultivated, N. hispanica being the 

 prettiest, growing about i foot high, 

 and with showy blue flowers from 

 July onwards. There is a white variety 

 and a variety with deep purple blos- 

 soms. AH the Nigellas should be 



