134 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



covered with some kind of glass shelters, or, where the soil is 

 retentive, the roots may be lifted with large balls of earth to 

 them, and be placed in a cool greenhouse well up to the light. 

 It would, however, be a mistake to adopt this plan where the soil 

 is loose, and during the lifting operation will fall from the roots ; 

 and it is also a mistake to expect flowers from newly-planted 

 roots. Where its fine bloom is required at Christmas, good 

 roots should have been planted fully a year previously. Doubt- 

 less many an amateur will herein recognise his failing point 

 when expecting Christmas Roses from roots planted only a month 

 before, and sometimes less. True, the buds are there, and fine 

 ones, too, perhaps, but the plants, unless transferred with a good 

 ball, suffer a check which it will take at least a year to outgrow. 

 It is a good plan to grow this flower in good- sized pots, which 

 should be plunged in a shady part of the garden all the year, 

 with the exception of the blooming period ; but even with pots 

 well grown and showing plenty of buds, the mistake is often 

 made of suddenly placing them in heat, immediately over hot 

 pipes or flues, the heat from which shrivels the buds and 

 foliage too. Though the Hellebores are amongst our best 

 flowers for forcing, it should be done gently in an atmosphere 

 constantly kept humid. 



As a cut bloom, the Christmas Rose vies with the eucharis 

 and pancratium. For vase work, or used about the person, it is 

 a flower that wins the greatest admiration, and it is no unusual 

 thing for cut flowers to last indoors quite a fortnight. 



H. n. angustifolius (narrow-leaved Hellebore) has smaller 

 flowers than the type. The divisions of the leaves or leaflets 

 are narrower, whence its name. The foliage is of a pale or 

 apple green, whereas that of the type is very dark. It was 

 introduced in the same year as its reputed parent. As a foliage 

 plant it is very handsome, the leaves bending gracefully, and 

 the whole specimen having a neat appearance. 



H. n. maximus is the largest Christmas Rose, and is a truly 

 grand variety; the flowers are 4in. and Sin. across. The 

 illustration (Fig. 49) is one-fourth natural size. The scapes 

 are very stout, and produce several flowers, which are held 

 well above the foliage ; like those of the type, they, too, are 

 tinted with a pink colour, which passes away when the flowers 

 are a week or so old. The foliage is remarkably bold, having 

 thick, round, and beautifully marked stalks. Well-established 

 specimens have a shrub-like effect, being nearly 2ft. high, and 

 richly furnished to the ground. The half -blown buds of this 

 variety are exquisitely beautiful, and vary somewhat in form 

 according to their age ; some resemble a nearly blown tulip, and 

 others a rosebud. As buttonholes, backed with a frond of 

 maidenhair, they are charming. A whole scape, having one 

 fully-blown flower and several buds, is the most perfect 



