276 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



wiry nature they are then both easily cleared of earth and 

 divided into single crowns ; these should be replanted in positions 

 deeply dug, and where they are intended to remain, being care- 

 fully arranged without any doubling up. After such pains have 

 been taken with so well- deserving a plant, there will be little to 

 fear for its future, no matter how severe the winter may prove. 



S. g. album is a white-flowered variety, of which, however, I 

 have had no experience. Since these lines appeared in serial 

 form, a lady, cultivating a good collection of choice hardy flowers, 

 has informed me that this variety is very fine, and in every way 

 commendable. 



Flowering period, March to May, according to positions or 

 climatic conditions. 



Soldanellas. 



Nat. Ord. PRIMULACE.E. 



DIMINUTIVE herbaceous alpine perennials. This genus is 

 small in number of known species as in size of specimens. 

 They are found in very high altitudes in the Tyrol, Switzerland, 

 and Germany ; but they are easily managed even in our foggy 

 climate, as is shown by the fact of the various species being 

 grown in all collections of alpines; and, indeed, no collection can 

 be said to be complete without such gems they are great 

 favourites, as they well deserve to be. They flower in early 

 spring, some with one, and others more than one flower on a 

 stem. 



The flowers are very small, broadly bell-shaped, and of a 

 feathery appearance, from the fact of their petals being finely 

 divided. The foliage is also small, nearly round, of good 

 substance, and in all the following species very bright green; 

 the leaf stalks are long and wiry, and form neat and handsome 

 little tufts, independent of the flowers, which, I may add, do not 

 last more than five or six days. 



S. alpina, smaller in all its parts, but otherwise much 

 resembling S. montana has leaves the size of a shilling piece, 

 flowers bright blue, mostly two on a stem. 



S. Clusii, from Germany, is smaller than S. alpina ; in other 

 respects similar, with the exception of flowers, which are purple. 



S. minima (smallest). Yery tiny in all its parts, many of its 

 little thick leaves being only in. across ; flowers purple, single 

 on the stem, which is only ^in. to lin. long. 



e 8. montana (Fig. 98) is the largest species of all leaves the 

 size of a half-crown piece, flowers bright blue, four or five on a 

 stem, 5in. high. It has other distinctions, of a minute character, 

 from the smaller species, but by difference of size alone it may 

 be readily identified. 



All the Soldanellas love a vegetable soil, as peat or leaf mould, 



