56 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



The flowers are a bright ruby colour, very small, but closely 

 massed in great numbers, borne in corymbs, terminal and much 

 branched ; " the calyx-limb, at first revolute, afterwards ex- 

 panded into a feather-like pappus ; " the corolla is tubular, 

 long, slender, and spurred ; the segments or petals are small and 

 uneven, both in form and arrangement ; the germen is long ; 

 anther prominent and large for so small a flower, viz., fin. 

 long and hardly ^in. in diameter. The stems are stout, round, 

 hollow, and glaucous ; they are furnished with leaves of various 

 shapes at the nodes, as lance-shaped, long oval, heart-shaped 

 and plain, elliptical and pointed, wavy and notched, and arrow- 

 shaped, lobed, and toothed. The root leaves are mostly ovate, 

 lanceolate, and entire. The whole plant is smooth and glaucous. 

 From the description given, it may readily be seen that when in 

 flower it will be effective massive heads of ruby flowers topping 

 a shrub-like plant of shining foliage and glaucous hue. It is 

 eminently fitted for lines or borders where other strong growers 

 are admitted. In a cut state the flowers are very useful ; they 

 are strongly scented, something like the lilac, with just a 

 suspicion of Yalerian in it. I ought not to omit mention of its 

 extra brightness as seen by gaslight this fact adds much to its 

 value for indoor decoration. 



It may be grown in any kind of garden soil, needing nothing 

 at any time in the way of special treatment ; but if it is sup- 

 plied with a little manure it will pay back with interest, in the 

 form of extra- sized bunches and brighter flowers. 



C. r. albus is a white-flowering kind of the above ; its main 

 points of difference are its paler green foliage, smaller sized 

 corymbs, shorter growth, and rather later season of bloom. 



C. r. coccinea is another kind ; the specific name is misleading. 

 It is not scarlet, but nearer a rose colour, and when compared 

 with the typical colour it appears much inferior ; still, it is a 

 good variety. All the three colours, when grown side by side, 

 are very showy when in bloom. 



This species, with its varieties, may be easily propagated by 

 root divisions at any time from late summer to spring ; the long 

 fleshy roots should not be broken more than can be helped; 

 every piece with a crown on it will make a flowering plant the 

 first season. 



Flowering period, June to September. 



Cheiranthus Cheiri. 



COMMON WALLFLOWER; Nat. Ord. CRTJCIFER^. 

 THIS well-known evergreen shrub (see Fig. 24) is more or less 

 hardy in our climate, according to the conditions under which 

 it is grown. Although a native of the South of Europe, it 

 rarely happens, however severe the winter may be in this 



