SCHINUS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. SCHIZANTHUS. 713 



late autumn. It forms dense tufts, which 

 yield large quantities of blue flower-heads, 

 each usually from 3 to 4 inches in diameter, 

 on long foot-stalks, and useful for cutting, 

 as they last a long time. There is a white 

 variety, and others such as atYO-ccevulea, 

 which is very dark ; fimbriata, with the 

 petals finely fringed ; and perfecta, with 

 semi-double flowers. 5. amcena comes 

 very near caucasica, but is more vigorous 

 and with flowers of rosy-lilac colour. 

 Caucasus. Division and seed. 



S. GRAMINIFOLIA (Grass-leaved S.). A 

 graceful Scabious from i to 2 feet high, 

 with pale blue flowers and silvery white 

 leaves ; it is very useful for the rock 

 garden. S. Europe. June to October. 

 Division and seed. 



S. PTEROCEPHALA (Wing-headed S.) is 

 a very dwarf-tufted hardy perennial, with 

 greyish-green foliage, and rarely exceeding 

 4 or 6 inches in height even when in 

 flower ; flower-heads pale purple in 

 summer. 



S. WEBBIANA. A useful species for the 

 rock garden or border, forming neat little 

 masses of hoary leaves, which are attrac- 

 tive, especially when the plant is grown 

 in poor soil. Its creamy-yellow flowers, 

 borne on long stalks, are pretty from July 

 to August. Division. 



SCHINUS. Evergreen shrubs allied 

 to the Sumacs. They grow well with 

 us, but are not very attractive. From 

 the high mountains of Chili. 



SCHISTOSTEGA (Iridescent Moss}. 

 This Moss (5. pennata) is so small 

 that it would hardly be noticed by 

 the naked eye but for the iridescent 

 gleams of beautiful colour which it 

 displays in suitable positions. Some 

 of the stones and sods on which it grows 

 look as if sown with a mixture of gold 

 and the material that forms the wings 

 of green humming-birds. It was sup- 

 posed to require a particular kind of 

 rock, but its wonderful coruscations 

 have lately been seen to spread over 

 sods of turf and masses of peat, as 

 well as over chips of rock brought 

 from its native place. Messrs Back- 

 house have it in perfection in the open 

 air, in a quiet deep gorge of rocks, 

 where it obtains sufficient moisture 

 without being washed by rains. 



SCHIZANDRA. A small group of 

 summer-leafing climbing shrubs allied 

 to Magnolia, and mostly from the Far 

 East, but with one kind from North 

 America. The best known is 5. 

 chinensis, with twining stems of 10 to 

 25 feet, bearing simple glossy leaves 

 and pale rosy flowers during early 

 summer, half an inch across and 

 fragrant. These are followed by dense 



clusters of showy scarlet berries, which 

 ripen in August and hang far into the 

 winter. China and Japan. The plant 

 needs a sheltered place if it is to do 

 well, but with protection in winter is 

 hardy over at least the south of 

 Britain. A rich sandy loam, moist 

 yet well - drained, and partial shade 



during the hottest hours of the day, 

 are the best conditions. Though 

 mostly grown against a trellis or sunny 

 wall, in sheltered places it is quite at 

 home roaming among shrubs and low 

 trees, as in its own land. Increase by 

 cuttings of the ripened shoots, root- 

 cuttings, layers, and suckers when these 

 can be had. Syn., Maximowiczia 

 sinensis. 



SCHIZANTHUS ( Fringe - flower] . 

 Pretty annuals of elegant growth, 

 which bear in summer many showy and 

 curiously-shaped blossoms. There are 



