OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN FLOWERS. 193 



long, and being borne on slender drooping stalks, which issue 

 from the leafy stems, somewhat below the leading growths, the 

 bloom is set off to great advantage. The foliage in form 

 resembles the common vetch, but is rather larger in the leaflets, 

 and instead of being downy like the vetch, the leaves are smooth 

 and bright. In a cut state, sprays are very useful, giving light- 

 ness to the stiffer spring flowers, such as tulips, narcissi, and 

 hyacinths. Rockwork suits it admirably; it also does well in 

 borders ; but in any position it pays for liberal treatment in the 

 form of heavy manuring. It seeds freely, and may be propagated 

 by the seed or division of strong roots in the autumn. Whether 

 rabbits can scent it a considerable distance off, I cannot say, but, 

 certain it is, they find mine every year, and in one part of the 

 garden eat it off bare. 

 Flowering period, March to May. 



Ourisia Coccinea. 

 Nat. Ord. SCROPHTJLARIACE.E. 



A HARDY herbaceous perennial from South America, as yet 

 rarely seen in English gardens, and more seldom in good form. 

 As may be judged by the illustration (Fig. 71), it is a charming 

 plant, but it has beauties which cannot be there depicted ; its 

 deep green and shining leaves constitute wavy masses of foliage, 

 most pleasing to see, and the short-stemmed, lax clusters of 

 dazzling scarlet flowers are thereby set off to great advantage. I 

 have no fear of overpraising this plant, as one cannot well do 

 that. I will, however, add that it is a decorative subject of the 

 highest order, without a single coarse feature about it; seldom is 

 it seen without a few solitary sprays of flowers, and it is never 

 met with in a seedy or flabby state of foliage, but it remains 

 plump throughout the autumn, when it sometimes shows a dis- 

 position to indulge in "autumnal tints." Though seldom encoun- 

 tered, this lovely plant is well known, as it is pretty sure to be, 

 from notes made of it and published with other garden news ; 

 but it has the reputation of being a fickle plant, difficult to grow, 

 and a shy bloomer. I trust this statement will not deter a single 

 reader from introducing it into his garden ; if I had found it 

 manageable only with an unreasonable amount of care, I would 

 not have introduced it here. It certainly requires special treat- 

 ment, but all the conditions are so simple and practicable, in even 

 the smallest garden, that it cannot be fairly termed difficult, as 

 we shall shortly see. 



The flowers are l^in. long, in form intermediate between the 

 pentstemon and snapdragon, but in size smaller, and the colour 

 an unmixed deep scarlet : they are produced on stems 9in. high, 

 round, hairy, and furnished with a pair of very small stem- 

 clasping leaves, and where the panicle of flowers begins there is 



o 



