170 WALLFLOWERS (CHE1RANTHUS) [CH. 



There are not many garden plants so fragrant and 

 lovely as the old double perennial Wallflower, which our 

 grandmothers loved so well ; it is perhaps not quite hardy, 

 and it is well to keep the stock replenished by propagating 

 a few plants each year, by slips put in under hand-lights in 

 sharp sandy soil. Cuttings put in in August, September, 

 or October strike without any protection in a shady 

 border or in boxes of sandy soil. The yellow is the 

 more common of a beautiful, golden shade, and very 

 floriferous. The old dark crimson is all but extinct ; 

 its flowers are almost black, and contrast well with the 

 brighter shades. 



The German single kinds are, however, the staple 

 garden plants for spring, and they well repay the small 

 annual expenditure of time and money needful for 

 their culture. The Coven t Garden Blood-red is the best 

 dark sort. Either Belvoir Castle or Golden Yellow 

 produces great compact masses of rich orange - yellow 

 bloom. 



The double biennials have a striking variety of colours 

 and a strong robust growth. 



It is well to sow the very best seed which can be had 

 in April or May, for the stronger and better rooted the 

 plants are, the more likely they are to stand the hard- 

 ships of the coming winter. Before being finally placed 

 out where they are to bloom they should have been 

 transplanted once at least, and put 6 or 8 inches apart 

 into nursery beds; the moving destroys the tap-root 

 and induces them to throw out surface-roots, so that they 



