OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN FLOWERS. 177 



It is not a thistle certainly, but the resemblance is very 

 close when not in flower, and the three or four specimens which 

 I grow have often caused a laugh from visitors at my expense, 

 but I pocket the laugh and ask them to come and see my 

 thistles in June. When, too, weeding is being done, it is always 

 needful, for the safety of the plants, to give some such hint as 

 "Do not pull up those thistles ;" but if this plant is no relation 

 to that despised weed, it belongs to another race, the species of 

 which are also formidably armed viz., the Teasel. It comes 

 from the Himalayas, and is comparatively new in English 

 gardens. 



It is hardy, herbaceous, and perennial, grows to a height of 

 2ft., and the flowers are produced in whorls or tiers interspersed 

 with the thorny foliage near the top of the stems. At this 

 stage of development the plant has a noble appearance, and 

 the rings of flowers are very beautiful though when I say 

 flowers I here mean the combination of buds and blossoms in 

 their different stages and colours. The buds are pure white and 

 waxy, and when open, are of a delicate pink; as they get 

 advanced, they turn to a lovely crimson ; these are all the more 

 pleasing, because the flowers last a long time. In form they are 

 tubular and horn- shaped, having a spreading, uneven corolla, 

 five-parted. Each flower is lin. long and fin. across, six to fifteen 

 in a whorl, the whorls being five to ten in number. The whorl- 

 bracts are formed of three arrow-shaped leaves, deeply cupped, 

 and overlapping at their junction with the stem or scape ; they 

 are spiny and downy underneath. Calyx, tubular and brown. 

 Segments (two), pale green, notched, alternated with long spines, 

 and surrounded with shorter ones. The leaves of the root are 

 9in. to 12in. long, and 2in. wide in the broadest parts ; pinnate, 

 waved, and spined, like the holly or thistle. The leaves of the 

 stem are similar in shape, but very much smaller. The whole 

 plant, and especially if there are several together, has a stately 

 appearance, and attracts much attention ; it is a good border 

 plant, but it will be more at home, and show to equal ad- 

 vantage in openings in the front parts of the shrubbery, because 

 it enjoys a little shade, and the shelter from high winds is a 

 necessity, it being top heavy ; if tied, it is robbed of its natural 

 and beautiful form. 



It thrives well in sandy loam. Slugs are fond of it, and eat 

 into the collar or crown, and therefore they should be looked 

 for, especially in winter, during open weather. To propagate it, 

 the roots should be divided as soon as the plants have done 

 flowering, they then become established before winter sets in. 

 Plant in the permanent quarters, and shade with leafy branches, 

 for a fortnight. 



Flowering period, June and July. 



N 



