RANUNCULUS. THE EtiGLtSH FLOWER GARDEN. RAKufcrcuLus. 669 



soil suits them best, a generous 

 mixture of loam, leaf soil and sand, 

 with consistently cool or moist con- 

 ditions, meeting all requirements. The 

 best method of increase is by seeds 

 which are freely produced and should 

 be sown promptly. The seeds are 

 exceedingly minute and require but 

 little or no covering. 



RANUNCULUS (Crowfoot Buttercup}. 

 Mountain, meadow, and marsh herbs, 

 many of them weeds, while others are 

 among the choicest of alpine flowers 

 and perennials for borders. They are 

 for the most part of the simplest 

 culture ; only R. asiaticus and its 

 many varieties require special treat- 

 ment. 



R. ACONITIFOLIUS. A mountain pasture 

 herb. The double-flowered variety which 

 is known as Fair Maids of France is a 

 pretty garden plant about 18 inches 

 high, covered for several weeks in early 

 summer with small rosette-like white 

 blossoms. It is a charming plant in 

 deep moist soils, especially the large- 

 flowered forms. 



R. ACRIS (Bachelors' Buttons). The 

 pretty double form of this plant is also 

 a useful kind, its rich yellow blossoms 

 borne in button-like rosettes : a border 

 plant, and good in moist soil, flowering 

 twice in the year. 



R. ALPESTRIS (Alpine Buttercup). A 

 native of the alpine regions of C. Europe, 

 and found chiefly growing in calcareous 

 soil : a handsome kind, forming small 

 tufts of shining, dark-green, prettily 

 cut leaves ; flowers large pure white, 

 with numerous yellow stamens in the 

 centre, and borne singly on erect stems 

 from 2 to 6 inches high in June and July. 

 A good rock garden plant in light, porous, 

 moist soil. There is a pretty dwarf form, 

 hardly rising above the soil. R. pyrenaus 

 comes near this in effect, with large 

 white flowers borne several together on 

 stems of 6 inches, but the leaf is a different 

 shape. 



R. AMPLEXICAULIS (White Buttercup). 

 - Lovely garden plant, about i foot 

 high, with slender stems, glaucous-grey 

 leaves, and blossoms i inch across, 

 pure white with yellow centres, bloom- 

 ing in April and May : a pretty border 

 and rock garden plant, doing best in a 

 deep moist loam. Pyrenees and Alps of 

 Provence. 



R. ASIATICUS (Turban Buttercup). 

 An old garden plant, with double flowers 

 of many colours, divided into various 

 sections, such as the Dutch, Scotch, 

 Persian and Turkish, each representing 

 a distinct race. The culture of this Ranun- 

 culus is simple if a few essentials are 

 observed. The situation should be open, 

 but not exposed, and the soil a loam 



mixed with decayed stable manure equal 

 to a third of its bulk. About a month 

 previous to planting the bed should be 

 prepared to a depth of 15 inches, and 

 planting should take place about the last 

 half of February ; in some seasons it 

 may take place in October, though such 

 an early date is not the best. As this 

 Ranunculus delights in moist soil, water 

 should be given if there is a scarcity of 

 rain. Annual lifting and planting are 

 essential. The great pest of the tribe 

 is a maggot of the leaf-ruining fly, which 

 may be kept at bay by occasional dustings 

 of soot. The Persian varieties are the 

 finest as regards colour, compactness, 

 and symmetry of growth ; but the Turban 

 varieties are of hardier constitution 



Ra>unici/h<!. acon'itifolins fl.-it>l. (Fair Maids of France). 



and of freer growth, and therefore are 

 better suited for beds, lines, and masses. 

 The Scotch and Dutch varieties are also 

 fine for masses in beds, being all of 

 highly effective colours. The wild plant, 

 which I gathered in Egypt both in the 

 yellow and red forms, is a lovely single 

 flower, and as well worth growing as 

 any of its garden varieties, but it is 

 not hardy, and soon perished on my 

 cool stiff soil. To be grown it must 

 be treated like its variety, i.e., the roots 

 taken up yearly. 



R. BULBOSUS FL.-PL. is a showy plant, 

 about i foot in height, with, in early 

 summer, numerous double yellow blos- 

 soms, growing well in any soil. There 

 is also a pretty pale yellow form. 



R. CRENATUS. Ablative of alpine and 

 siliceous mountains in Styria, the leaves 

 entire and roundish ; the flowers are 

 large, white, with almost entire petals, 

 two or three together at the extremity 

 of stems 3 or 4 inches high in April and 

 May. Plant in the rock garden in deep 

 sandy soil in our country, fully exposed to 

 the sun. 



