110 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



Galega Officinalis. 



OFFICINAL GOAT'S-RUE ; Nat. Ord. LEGUMINOS^E. 

 A GRAND "old-fashioned" flower. It is 314 years since this plant 

 was brought from Spain; it is perfectly hardy and herbaceous. 

 Both it and its varieties are among the most useful subjects of 

 the flower garden ; they grow to shrub-like bushes, have elegant 

 foliage, and an abundance of bloom, which continues until late 

 autumn. Specimens have a clean and healthy appearance, and 

 though they grow to the height of 4ft., they give no trouble, 

 requiring neither tying nor supports. From their large quantities 

 of flowers they are exceedingly gay ; but it is for the handsome 

 stems in a cut state that they should be most prized. These, cut 

 18in. long, and placed singly in pots or vases, are truly noble, 

 more especially by gaslight. 



As will be inferred from the order to which Galega belongs, 

 the flowers are pea-flower-shaped, about |in. or more long, and 

 the same broad. They are of a pleasing, but undecided blue 

 .colour, arranged in long conical racemes, on stout, round stalks, 

 .as long as the leaves, which are pinnate, having a terminal odd 

 one. The leaflets are evenly arranged in pairs, mostly in six 

 pairs ; they are each about 2in. long, lance-shaped, mucronate, 

 entire, smooth, and glaucous. The floriferous character of the 

 plant may be inferred from the fact that, after the raceme fades, 

 there pushes from the axil a peduncle, which, in a short time, 

 produces many other recemes. 



G. o. alba, a variety of the above, grows 4ft. high, and is an 

 abundant bloomer; flowers superb for cutting purposes. For 

 .culture, see G. Persica lilacina. 



Flowering period, July to September. 



Galega Persica Lilacina. 



Nat. Ord. LEGUMINOS^E. 



THIS is a lovely species of Galega imported little more than fifty 

 years ago from Persia. Perfectly hardy; in general form it 

 corresponds with G. officinalis. The following are its distinc- 

 tions : More dense racemes of lilac flowers, a foot less tall, 

 leaflets shorter and broader in fact, oval, oblong, somewhat 

 twisted or edged up in the arrangement, and often without the 

 terminal leaflet. 



The above Goafs-rues are of the simplest culture ; they will do 

 in any soil, but if they are liberally treated they will repay it. A 

 fat loam and sunny situation are what they delight in. They 

 may remain year after year in one position, but I find them to do 

 better in eveiy way if they are divided the second year ; it should 

 be done in summer, so that they can make a little growth in 

 vtheir new quarters before winter sets in. In order to carry out 



