230 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



in spring, and is readily propagated by 

 division, and also by seeds ; but these are 

 so small, and so slow in germinating, that 

 its propagation in this way is never worth 

 the trouble. It is abundant in many 

 parts of the Alps and Pyrenees. I have 

 grown this plant very well in " battered " 

 walls, and it flowered freely thereon. My 

 friend, M. Francisque Morel of Lyons, 

 tells me that the form of this fine plant, 

 which is cultivated in British Gardens, is 

 unknown on the Savoy mountains and 

 those near. He thinks it is an Italian form, 

 but there are other handsome Gentians 

 among its allies on those mountains and 

 others near, which are well worth the 

 attention of rock gardeners. As the old 

 plant we have is so easily grown in 

 Britain, there is no reason why these 

 should not be equally so. I think they 

 would all do grown on walls in the way 

 described in the first part of this book 

 that is to say, on " battered " walls against 

 earth banks, with the stones so set that 

 they will catch all the rainfall. 



According to M. Correvon, there are 

 four or even five well-marked forms of 

 G. acaulis, viz. : 



Gentiana angustifolia. A stolonifer- 

 ous plant, emitting underground runners. 

 Flowers large, handsome, of a fine 

 deep sky-blue colour, and spotted on 

 the throat with sprightly green. This is 

 the handsomest species. It flowers in 

 May and June, and is found on calcareous 

 parts of the Alps at an altitude of 3000 

 feet to 4000 feet. 



G. a. Clusii. The flowers of this are 

 of a fine dark blue colour, and have no 

 green spots on the throat. The plant 

 blooms in May and June, and is found 

 on calcareous rocks of the Alps and the 

 Jura range at an altitude of 3000 feet to 

 5000 feet, 



G. a. Kochiana. Flowers of a violet- 

 blue colour, marked on the throat with 

 five spots of a blackish-green colour in 

 May and June. Common in pastures on 

 the granitic Alps. 



G. a. alpina. Leaves small, of a 

 sprightly green colour, glistening, curving 

 inwards and imbricated, forming rosettes 

 which incurve at about the middle part 

 of their length. Blooms in May and June. 



Found on the granitic Alps at an alti- 

 tude of 6000 feet to 9000 feet ; also on 

 the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada. 

 The two last-named species require a 

 compost of one-third crushed granite, one- 

 third heath soil, and one-third vegetable 

 loam, and should be planted half exposed 

 to the sun. 



Gentiana a. dinarica (Beck.) This is a 

 form of G-. acaulis with broad, thick leaves 

 and erect, slender, almost cylindrical 

 flowers of a dark blue colour. Alps of 

 Southern and Eastern Austria. 



G. Andrews!! (Blind Gentian). The 

 kinds of Gentian which attract so much 

 attention for their beauty on European 

 mountains open their flowers wide when 

 the sun shines. This does not do so, 

 having closed tubes each about an. inch 

 long, in clusters, and of a deep dark blue. 

 Then, instead of spreading low and mant- 

 ling the ground with rosettes of leaves, 

 the shoots grow erect, and a foot or more 

 high. It is handsome, thrives in a sandy 

 peat, but has been hitherto so little grown, 

 that experiences of its likes and dislikes 

 are not yet obtainable. The flowers are 

 closely set in clusters near the tops of the 

 shoots. A native of moist rich soil in 

 North America, flowering in autumn, and 

 increased by division and by seed. 



G. asclepiadea (Swallow-wort). A true 

 herbaceous plant, i.e., dying down every 

 year, thus keeping out of danger in winter 

 time, and easily cultivated in almost any 

 soil. It grows erect, with shoots almost 

 willow-like, and from 15 inches to 2 feet 

 high, according to the nature of the soil ; 

 bearing numerous large purplish-blue 

 flowers, arranged in handsome spikes. 

 Little need be said of its culture, as it is 

 not fastidious, but in a deep sandy loam 

 or peat it will grow twice as large as in a 

 stiff clay. In a wild state it inhabits 

 pine woods. In consequence of its tall 

 habit, this species is best adapted for the 

 bushy parts of the rock-garden, or in the 

 borders near at hand. It is a native of 

 European mountain woods. Division. 



G. bavarica (Bavarian Gentian). In 

 size this resembles the vernal Gentian, but 

 has smaller Box -like leaves of a yellowish 

 green, all its tiny stems being thickly 

 clothed with foliage, forming close, 



