54 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



not a few distinctive traits about it, which, more or less, go to 

 make it a desirable subject for rare and choice collections. 



The flowers are a glistening bluish-lilac, erect, and fin. across 

 when fully expanded. The corolla can hardly be said to be bell- 

 shaped, as the five divisions are two-thirds of its depth, which 

 allows it, when full blown, to become nearly flat, and as the 

 segments are equal, sharply cut, and pointed, the flower has a 

 star-like appearance. The little calyx is cup-shaped, angular, 

 and has small, stout, horn-like segments, which are bent down- 

 wards. Each flower has a pedicel about lin. long, which 

 springs from the axils of the main stem leaves; the stems 

 seldom exceed the height of 4in. or 5in., and they are exceed- 

 ingly fine, thready, as also are the pedicels ; they are, more- 

 over, of zig-zag form, from node to node. The leaves are fin. 

 long, and less than ^in. wide, ovate or nearly cordate, partially 

 folded, and sometimes reflexed at the ends, nearly stalkless, 

 slightly toothed, smooth, of good substance and a peculiar grey- 

 green colour. The foliage for two or three weeks is completely 

 hidden by the large number of flowers, during which time it is 

 a most attractive subject. 



I grow it with other dwarf Campanulas in a collection bed, 

 where it compares well with the finest, such as 0. pulla, C. 

 muralis, and C. Zoysii, for effectiveness. Having proved it to 

 thrive well in light sandy soil of a vegetable character, I have 

 not tried it otherwise ; it enjoys a sunny situation. The site 

 should be well drained ; it will endure nothing like stagnant 

 moisture its peculiar roots would indicate this fact, they are 

 not only tender and fleshy, but thick and of a pith-like nature, 

 and, as I have never been able to gather any seed, and the pro- 

 pagation has to be carried out by root division, there requires to 

 be a careful manipulation of these parts, for not only do they 

 split and break with the least strain, but when so mutilated they 

 are very liable to rot. I have found it by far the better plan to 

 divide this plant after it has begun to grow in March or April, 

 when its fine shining black shoots, which resemble horse hairs 

 in appearance, are about ^in. high. Slugs are fond of this plant ; 

 a dressing once a week of sand and soot, when it begins to grow, 

 will keep them off. 



Flowering period, July and August. 



Centaurea Montana. 



MOUNTAIN KNAPWEED ; Nat. Ord. COMPOSITE. 

 THIS is an " old-fashioned " and favourite flower. Every one 

 must be familiar with its thistle-like formed flowers ; it is some- 

 times called the large or perennial Cornflower and also the 

 Large Bluebottle. The blue variety has been grown in English 

 gardens since 1596. There are now white and pink coloured 



