RUMEX. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. SACCHARUM. 697 



4 inches across. When fully established 

 the plants reach 3 to 4 feet high, and are 

 effective on account of their free-flowering 

 and erect habit. The plant only rarely 

 produces seeds, and these are generally 

 slow to vegetate, so much so that it is 

 best rather to rely on careful division of 

 the root to ensure maintaining a stock. 

 Other kinds closely allied to this species 

 are R. pallida, R. angustifolia, R. purpurea 

 intermedia, a fine form with branching 

 habit, and R. p. serotina. 



R. SPECIOSA. It is so well known that 

 I need say little more than advise those, 

 who wish it to succeed in hot and dry 

 summers, to dress the surface with rich 

 compost and to water it well, or it withers 

 prematurely. The garden form, speciosa 

 conspicua, comes into flower sooner, and 

 gives a longer season for cutting. 



R. SUBTOMENTOSA. In this the flowers 

 show hardly any raised cone ; the disc is 

 very black, and the golden rays, about an 

 inch long, continue horizontal, so that it 

 would hardly be taken for a Cone-flower. 

 It grows 4 feet high, flowering late and 

 very freely. Division. 



Excepting R. maxima, in a long gar- 

 dening experience I have found no diffi- 

 culty in maintaining a stock of all these 

 Cone-flowers. R.pinnata, R. laciniata, and 

 R. hirta ripen plenty of seed every year. 

 I never found ripe seed on any of the 

 others, but they are all easily divided ; 

 the whole tribe likes a rich moist soil and 

 a warm aspect. C. W. D. 



RUMEX (Dock). The only one 

 worth growing is our great native 

 Water Dock (R. Hydrolapathum). Its 

 leaves, sometimes 2 feet or more in 

 length, form erect and imposing tufts ; 

 while its flowering stem, frequently 

 6 feet in height, has a dense, pyramidal 

 panicle of an olive-fawn or reddish 

 colour. In autumn the leaves change 

 to a lurid red, a colour they retain for 

 some time. 



RUSCUS (Butcher's Broom). These 

 are distributed throughout Europe, 

 North Africa, and temperate Asia. 

 All the hardy kinds may be planted 

 under the drip and shade of trees 

 where few other evergreens could 

 exist. Propagate by division of the 

 roots. The R. aculeatus (Common 

 Butcher's Broom) is a native of our 

 copses and woods, with curious prickly 

 leaves, or rather substitutes for leaves, 

 and small greenish flowers in April, 

 which are succeeded by bright red 

 berries about the size of Peas. This 

 dense, much-branched evergreen rarely 

 <*rows more than 2 feet high, and its 

 thick, white, twining roots strike deep 

 into the ground. The sexes are apart 



in Ruscus, and to enjoy the handsome 

 scarlet fruits the male and female 

 plants should be mingled. 



The Alexandrian Laurel (R. race- 

 mosus) . An elegant shrub with 

 glossy dark green leaves, its stems 

 valuable for cutting in winter. It is 

 one of the best plants for partial shade, 

 and should have deep loamy soil. 

 S. Europe. Syn., Danae racemosus. 



RUTA (Rue). The common Rue 

 (R. graveolens) is not ornamental, but 

 R. albiflora is a graceful autumn- 

 flowering plant about 2 feet high, with 

 leaves resembling those of the common 

 Rue, only more glaucous and finely 

 divided. The small white blossoms, 

 borne profusely in large terminal 

 drooping panicles, last until the frosts. 

 In some localities it is hardy, but, 

 unless planted against a wall, should 

 generally have slight protection in 

 severe weather. It is also known 

 as Bcenninghausenia albiflora. Nepal. 

 Another pretty plant is the Padua Rue 

 (R. patavina), 4 to 6 inches high, with 

 small golden-yellow flowers of the same 

 odour as the common Rue, and the 

 plant is about as hardy as R. albiflora. 



SABBATIA (American Centaury). 

 N. American plants of the Gentian 

 family. The species introduced are 

 5. chloroides, with large pink flowers ; 

 5. campestris, with light rose flowers ; 

 and 5. angularis, with purplish-red 

 flowers. 5. chloroides, being found 

 in bogs, requires a very moist spot ; 

 5. campestris, an open and drier 

 place ; 5. angularis, a sheltered situa- 

 tion and partial shade, in imitation 

 of that afforded by the vegetation 

 amongst which it grows wild. The 

 soil should consist of equal parts of 

 good fibry loam and finely-sifted 

 leaf-mould, with enough sand to make 

 it open. Seed, which should be sown 

 in summer. The seedlings should be 

 potted off before they become in the 

 least drawn, or weak plants result. 

 They should be wintered in a cold, 

 airy frame, and freely pinched to 

 induce a bushy habit. All are bien- 

 nial, and seed should be sown each 

 year. 



SACCHARUM (5. czgyptiacum}. 

 Vigorous perennial grass, forming tufts 

 of reed-like downy stems, 6 to 10 feet 

 high, and clothed with graceful foliage. 

 It is suited for the margins of pieces 

 of water and for pleasure grounds, and 

 requires a warm position. In otir 

 climate it does not flower, but is a 



