80 STUDIES IN GARDENING 



in the grass. There appears to be a common idea 

 that it will grow only in the Thames valley and other 

 particular localities; but it is quite an easy plant in 

 most places, where the soil is not too hot and poor. 

 The Crown Imperial (F. imperialis) will grow in the 

 grass only where the soil is rich and rather heavy. 

 It dwindles after a year or two in a light soil and re- 

 fuses to flower. It would be an interesting experi- 

 ment to sow a patch of ground with some short moun- 

 tain grass and plant several tufts of Gentiana acaulis 

 in it. They might thrive; and then, again, they might 

 not. This plant is one of the most capricious in exis- 

 tence. Last year it flowered profusely even in poor 

 soils. This year it is more flowerless than usual. It 

 will prosper like a weed in some places, and in others, 

 with apparently the same conditions, it will do nothing. 

 The old idea was that it ought to be left alone; but 

 this treatment is of no avail where the crowns grow 

 smaller and smaller. The best plan in such a case is 

 to dig it up in wet weather, in spring, and to plant 

 each separate crown with plenty of space to itself. 

 It ought to be coming into flower now, and with some 

 lucky gardeners perhaps it is. With the present writer 

 it is not. 



