AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



113 



Hardy Plants continued. 



after the middle of March, when germination is tolerably 

 certain. Forwarding in frames sometimes has advantages ; 

 but it is important that the young plants thus treated be 

 fully exposed to light, and not allowed to become drawn 

 for want of air. A large proportion of perennials may be 

 more readily propagated by division, and this is best per- 

 formed early in autumn, or at the commencement of new 

 growth in spring. 



Preparation and Planting of Mixed Borders. In the 

 preparation of a border for Hardy Plants, it is important 

 that the soil be deeply trenched, so far as it will allow, 

 the autumn previous to planting. If it is moderately 

 rich and heavy, rather than light and sandy, it will be 

 all the better, as many of the vigorous-growing species 

 require a strong soil. Manure should be added at 

 trenching time, to insure its proper incorporation amongst 

 the soil ; and, if the surface is laid rough for the winter, 

 the border will be in good condition for planting early 

 the following spring. Herbaceous subjects, in general, arc 

 not well suited for planting alone in a border. Mixed 

 borders should not be less than 10ft. or 12ft. wide, and 

 a greater width allows of a better arrangement being 

 provided for the taller-growing sorts. Evergreen shrubs, 

 planted irregularly according to their height, are advisable 

 for permanently furnishing the border in winter, when 

 the primary plants have died down, and they also afford 

 protection from wind and strong sunshine in summer. The 

 object in planting should be to dispose of the different 

 colours, varieties, heights, &c., of the material at command, 

 so that the whole shall prove equally interesting at all 

 seasons, without a frequent repetition of similar effects in 

 different parts. A knowledge of the habit, height, time of 

 flowering, and other points in connection with the various 

 plants employed, will be requisite on the part of the 

 cultivator, to enable him to fix proper positions for each, so 

 that a gradual rise in the heights is secured, at flowering 

 time, from the front line to the back. This cannot always 

 be secured during the first season, on account of the nature 

 of the soil, and its effect on the growth of different plants ; 

 but any that are misplaced may bo marked, and the error 

 remedied the following season. Tall Asters, Delphiniums, 

 Helianthus, &c., should be planted near the back; other 

 plants, reaching a height of 2ft. to 3ft., placed about the 

 middle ; and dwarf ones, such as Aubrietias, Iberis, Pinks, 

 Saxifrages, &c., near the front margin. Mixed borders may 

 be utilised for the cultivation of an endless variety of 

 plants in summer. Spring bulbs may be inserted at 

 intervals, and allowed to take care of themselves ; their 

 positions should be marked by sticks or labels, to avoid 

 injury being caused when the tops cannot be seen. Vacant 

 spaces may be utilised 'for seeds of annuals, either hardy or 

 tender, and these may be sown where the several heights 

 will correspond, at the latter end of March. The general 

 keeping of the mixed border consists in frequently tying- 

 up any tall-growing plants that require it ; but only those 

 of an erect-growing habit should be thus treated, the 

 stakes not being allowed to exceed the height of the 

 plants, and inserted so as to be hidden by the foliage ae 

 much as possible. In moderately heavy soils, watering 

 will not be much required; but, where the ground is light, 

 almost any quantity may be applied in summer. The 

 usual method of annually digging mixed borders, is not to 

 be recommended, as many plants are surface-rooting, and 

 are, consequently, much injured by the process : a slight 

 forking over, to break the surface, and an addition of 

 some leaf soil or light manure, about March, are bene- 

 ficial. Sufficient space should be allowed each plant with- 

 out overcrowding, and any subjects which spread beyond 

 their limits some of the Asters, for instance should be 

 considerably reduced each year. If alpines are intro- 

 duced, they should be kept to the front line, and have 

 stones placed round them, to keep the crowns above the 

 ground line, and special soil added round their roots. 



Vol. IL 



Hardy Plants continued. 



A large number of these interesting dwarf plants may 

 be successfully grown in mixed borders, if a little extra 

 attention is bestowed on their cultivation, especially in 

 raising the crowns somewhat, to prevent their damp- 

 ing off. 



Hardy Aquatic and Bog Plants. Numerous beautiful 

 Hardy Plants succeed best in a very moist situation, and 

 many require entire submersion in water. Where a pond 

 or lake exists, advantage should be taken for providing 

 some accommodation for them, and planting accordingly; 

 or artificial preparation may be made for a limited 

 quantity. Bog plants should, in most cases, have their 

 crowns kept a little above the surface. They may either 

 be planted out, or grown in pans, and plunged. Hardy 

 aquatics, such as Aponogeton distachyon, Nuphar advena 

 and N. lutea, Nymphcea alba and N. odorata, with several 

 others, may be planted where there is a considerable space 

 and depth of water. Calla palustris, Iris pseudacorus, Ly- 

 thrum Salicaria, and Sagittaria sagittifolia, are examples 

 of such as succeed near the edge, or in shallow water. 

 Amongst others worthy of culture, and which succeed in 

 moist, boggy situations, are : Anagallis tenella, Caltha 

 palustris and its double form, Droseras, Parnassia palus- 

 tris and other species, Primula rosea, Sarracenia pur- 

 purea, and Spiraea palmata. 



HAREBELL. A name given to Campanula 

 rotundiflora and Scilla nutans (which see) ; also 

 spelt Hairbell. 



HARE'S EAR. See Bupleurum. 



HARE'S FOOT. See Ochroma Lagopus. 



HARE'S-FOOT FERN. See Davallia cana- 

 riensis. 



HARE'S TAIL. See Lag-urns ovatus. 



HARICOT. The ripe seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris 

 and other species of Phaseolus. 



HARINA. See Wallichia. 



HARONGA (the native name in Madagascar). OBD. 

 Hypericinece. A monotypio genus. The species is an 

 evergreen stove shrub. It thrives in a compost of sandy 

 loam and peat. Propagated by cuttings, made of young 

 shoots, and inserted in sand, under a glass, in heat. 

 EL madagascariensis (Madagascar), fl. yellow; corymbs 



terminal, very large and branchy. I. elliptic-lanceolate, entire. 



Stem round, branching, h. 10ft. Tropical Africa and Mada- 

 gascar, 1822. 



HARFAGOPHYTUU (the English name Grapple 

 Plant translated into Greek). SYN. Uncaria. OBD. 

 Pedalinece. This genus comprises about four species of 

 procumbent canescent perennial herbs, natives of South 

 Africa and Madagascar. Flowers axillary, solitary, shortly 

 pedicellate; pedicels glandular at base. Leaves opposite 

 or alternate, incised. 

 H. procumbens (procumbent). /., corolla tube pale; limb 



purple. I. stalked, five-nerved, palmatifid, with coarsely-incised 



sinuate lobes. Stems many, prostrate. Cape of Good Hope. 



A very handsome herb, with large fruit, beset with long branches 



armed with powerful hooked spines ; but probably not in cultiva- 

 tion in this country. SYN. Uncaria procumbens. 



HARPALIUM. Now included under Helianthus 

 (which see). 



HARRACHIA. See Crossandra. 



HARRISONIA (of Hooker). See Marsdeiiia. 



HARRISONIA (of Neckor). See Xerantliemum. 



HARTOGTA (named in honour of J. Hartog, an early 

 Dutch traveller in South Africa and Ceylon). SYN. 

 Sclirebera. OED. Celastrineai. A monotypic genus. The 

 species is an ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrub, 

 allied to Cassine. It proves hardy in sheltered spots. 

 For culture, see Cassine. 



j.. v.u.ji/^n.oi.o (Cape). fl. yellow ; pedicels few-flowered, axillary, 

 drooping. June. I. opposite, oblong, crenated, smooth, hardy, 

 stalked. Cape of Good Hope, 1800. A small tree. 



