OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN FLOWERS. 83 



add that in both foliage and flowers there is more substance than 

 in either of its reputed parents, and the habit of the plant is 

 semi-trailing or procumbent, as seen in specimens three years 

 old. It is rather more difficult to grow than the common Pink. 

 Any position or soil will not answer ; it does well on rockwork, 

 where it can hardly suffer from damp, so much disliked by all 

 the genus ; but if thus planted, it should be where its thickly - 

 foliaged stems cannot be turned over and wrenched by strong 

 winds. It may be grown in borders in sandy loam ; and if such 

 borders are well drained, as they always should be for choice 

 flowers, there will be little to fear as to its thriving. Such 

 an excellent flower, which, moreover, is perpetually produced, 

 deserves some extra care, though, beyond the requirements 

 already mentioned, it will give very little trouble. 



To increase it, the readiest way is to layer the shoots about 

 midsummer, half cutting through the stems, as for Carnations ; 

 thus treated, nice plants will be formed by October, when they 

 may be lifted and transplanted to their blooming quarters ; and 

 I may here state that a line of it, when in flower, is richly 

 effective. A good style also is to make a bold clump by setting 

 ten or twelve plants 9in. apart. Another mode of propagation is 

 to take cuttings at midsummer and dibble them into boxes of leaf 

 soil and sand. Keep them shaded and rather close for a week or 

 more. If the boxes could be placed in a cucumber frame, the 

 bottom heat and moisture would be a great help to them. The 

 object to aim at should be not only to root the cuttings, but to 

 grow them on to fair-sized plants for putting out in the autumn. 

 To do this, when the cuttings are rooted they should be planted 

 6in. apart in a bed made up of well decayed manure and sand, 

 in which it will be seen that they will make plenty of roots and 

 become sturdy plants. The wireworm and slugs are both very 

 fond of Pinks and Carnations. Slugs should be trapped, but the 

 wireworm, unfortunately, has often done the mischief before we 

 become aware of its presence, and even then it is a troublesome 

 pest to get rid of. I find nothing more useful than stirring and 

 digging the soil as soon as there is room to work with a spade or 

 fork ; the worm cannot endure frequent disturbance, and such 

 operations are otherwise beneficial to the plants. 



Flowering period, May to September 



Dodecatheon Jeffreyanum. 



Nat. Ord. PRIMULACE^J. 



THIS is a distinct and noble species. The older leaves are more 

 spoon- shaped, at least a foot long, rather narrow, not toothed, of 

 a reddish colour at the base, and the mid-rib pale green, almost 

 straw-colour ; the flower scape is also reddish, but the flowers are 

 fewer. As a foliage plant this species is very effective. 



