THE HOME FLORIST. 75 



tries. The dwarf, flowering kind is valuable for pot culture, bearing brilliant orange scarlet 

 flowers of leathery substance. It is a deciduous plant, and with pot culture may be stored in 

 a cellar, cold- pit, or under the staging in the conservatory during winter, and until April, when 

 it should be brought to light and started into growth. In the Southern States the dwarf Pome- 

 granate is hardy with slight protection. 



POPPY PAPAVER (Hardy Annuals and Hardy Perennials). 



Showy and well known border flowers, apt to be despised through ignorance of the really 

 good qualities of improved varieties. The annual varieties are readily grown from seed, which 

 should be sown where the plants are wanted. Among the perennial sorts P. Bracteattim is a 

 scarlet variety. P. Croceum* orange ; an early and free bloomer. P. Orientale (Oriental 

 Poppy), large, orange red; flowering the fore part of summer. These may also be reared 

 from seed or by division. 



PORTULACA (Half-Hardy Annual). 



Exceedingly brilliant and popular low growing annuals of the easiest culture. There are 

 both double and single varieties, including white, rose, golden, orange^ crimson, scarlet, rosy 

 purple and other colors, besides beautifully striped varieties. The Double Portulacas are of 

 remarkable beauty, being as double and as perfect as a fine Rose. All luxuriate in an exposed 

 sunny situation, and produce throughout the summer their distinct and sliowy flowers in the 

 greatest profusion, on which account they possess very high value for planting in masses or in 

 ribbon lines, as well as for other purposes in adorning the grounds and garden. A bed of either 

 the double or single varieties, but especially of the former, will form as attractive an object with 

 their brilliant colors as can be introduced, particularly in bright sunny weather. Are grown 

 with readiness from seed, which may be sown early in the open ground, or in the hot-bed, or 

 pots in the window, and afterwards setting the young seedlings about eight inches apart in the 

 garden. The seeds saved from double flowers will not all produce perfectly double flowers, 

 although a large enough percentage may be depended upon to be satisfactory. 



POTENTILLA CINQUE FOIL (Hardy Perennial). 



An extensive genus, mostly natives of the temperate zones, some of which are worthy of cul- 

 tivation, while many are ranked among weeds. The foliage of nearly all the varieties very 

 closely resembles that of the strawberry plant. There are in cultivation varieties with dark 

 crimson, orange scarlet, blood red, blush and salmon, red shaded with maroon, colored flowers, 

 which, although not as showy as those of some other plants, they possess a pleasing beauty 

 and are produced with little intermission through the entire season. Succeed in any garden 

 soil, and are increased either from seed or by dividing the roots. 



PRIMROSE PRIMULA (Greenhouse Perennial, jj, jo, 8f). 



This is a most valuable class of plants for pot culture, either in the conservatory or window. 

 They grow less than one foot in height and produce an immense number of the purest white and 

 other colored flowers during fall, winter and spring. There is a Double White variety, which 

 is extensively grown for winter flowers by florists. The flowers are an inch across, perfectly 

 double, and of the purest white. This variety is increased with some difficulty by division and 

 from cuttings in the spring; is rather impatient of ill-treatment, and will not do as well in the 

 window as the single varieties. It requires a fine, rich soil, containing considerable sand, and 

 does not bear to be crowded closely among other plants. In the summer it should be grown 

 under glass, heavily coated with a wash of quick -lime and water. During winter the glass 

 should also be kept slightly whitened, and as uniform a temperature as possible be maintained. 

 Water may be freely applied, but sprinkling the leaves and flower-stems should be avoided as 

 much as possible. The Single varieties are reared from seed, which is sown in summer, usually. 

 These include flowers of white, rose, and crimson colors, and also some with finely fimbriated 

 edges. The directions given for managing the double Primrose are applicable to the single 

 varieties. 



PYRETHRUM. See Feverfew. 



RANUNCULUS (Hardy Perennials). 



RANUNCULUS ACRIS FLORE PLENO (Butter Cup, Crowfoot). A hardy herbaceous peren- 

 nial that is quite common. The flowers are double, of pretty, glossy yellow color, produced on 

 upright stems, two feet high, in June and July. Will thrive in any soil, and when once intro- 

 duced in a garden, ,there is no difficulty in keeping it, as it grows freely and propagates by divi- 

 sion very easily. 



RANUNCULUS AsiATi.cus. is a section which affords some of the most splendid flowers in 

 cultivation, but, unfortunately, our winters are too severe to rear them, without great difficulty, 

 in the open ground, on which account their culture is generally precluded, except in the window 

 and conservatory; where they may be grown by observing the directions given for cultivating 

 the Hyacinth and other Hardy Bulbs, etc., on page 21. 



RHODANTHE (Half-Hardy Annual). 



A beautiful, though somewhat delicate, genus of Everlasting flowers, grown from seed, which 

 should be started in the house. 



