72 POLEMONIUM REPTANS. CREEPING GREEK VALERIAN. 



ers, dotted with the pure white anthers growing along the Wis- 

 sahickon, and telHng us that " Spring is come," there is a 

 something impressive which invariably associates them with 

 Longfellow's lines. It is a plant easily found by the lover of 

 wild flowers, as It has a rather wide distribution in all the states 

 east of the Mississippi except those in the extreme north-east, 

 and those bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. 



The creeping Greek Valerian is a very easy plant to cultivate, 

 and indeed it is when growing in the country gardens of Penn- 

 sylvania that it generally receives the name of " Forget-me-not." 

 A peculiarity of cultivation is that while the amount of foliage is 

 increased, there is seldom any more increase in the quantity of 

 flow^ers than we find in a wild state ; so that a good strong stock 

 in its native place of growth seems more beautiful than one 

 growing in a garden. In cultivation, however, we find more 

 variety in the shades of color, as they happen to be selected by 

 those who bring them in from their wild locations. It is not 

 uncommon to find flowers of a brighter blue than we have 

 selected for our plate. On the other hand, they are often seen 

 of a pure white. In any condition the plant would be regarded 

 as pretty, and will bear a strict scrutiny in regard to some claim 

 to beauty. The general tendency in the habit of growth is 

 towards straight, slender lines, without any great variety in 

 length or direcdon — but the roundish flowers make a fair con- 

 trast to the straight lines, and the gentle curve caused by the 

 weight of the flowers expresses unity in the general effect. Still, 

 it must be admitted that its claim to be a pretty fiower lies chiefiy 

 in the contrast which the blue makes with the white anthers. 



