OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN FLOWERS. 295 



Tropaeolum Tuberosum. 



TUBEROUS TROP^OLTJM; Nat Ord. TROP^OLACE^:. 



ALL the species of this genns are highly decorative garden 

 subjects, including the annual varieties, and otherwise they are 

 interesting. They are known by various names, as Trophy-plant, 

 Indian Cress, and Nasturtium, though the latter is only ap- 

 plicable strictly to plants of another order. The plant under 

 notice is a climber, herbaceous and perennial, having tuberous 

 roots, whence its specific name ; they much resemble small 

 potatoes, and are eaten in Peru, the native country of the plant. 

 It has not long been grown in this country, the date of its intro- 

 duction being 1836 ; it is not often seen, which may be in part 

 owing to the fact of its being considered tender in this climate. 

 But let me at once state that under favourable conditions, and 

 such as may easily be afforded in any garden, it proves hardy. 

 As a matter of fact, I wintered it in 1880-1, and also in 1881-2, 

 which latter does not signify much, as it proved so mild ; but it 

 must be admitted that the first-mentioned winter would be a fair 

 test season. The position was very dry, viz., on the top of a small 

 bank of earth, against a south wall ; the soil was sandy loam, and 

 it was overgrown with ivy, the leaves of which would doubtless 

 keep out many degrees of cold, as also would the dryness of the 

 soil; another point in favour of my specimen proving hardy, 

 would be the fact of its exposure to the sun, by which the tubers 

 would be well and duly ripened. It is one of the handsomest 

 trailers or climbers I know for the herbaceous garden; a free 

 grower, very floriferous, bright, distinct, and having a charming 

 habit. The illustration (Fig. 106) can give no idea of the fine 

 colours of its flowers, or richly glaucous foliage. One specimen 

 in my garden has been much admired, thanks to nothing but 

 its own habit and form ; under a west wall, sheltered from the 

 strong winds, it grows near some Lilium auratum ; after out- 

 growing the lengths of the stems, and having set off to advan- 

 tage the lily bloom, it caught by its tendril-like shoots an apricot 

 tree on the wall, and then reached the top, being furnished 

 with bloom its whole length. The flowers are orange and scarlet, 

 inclining to crimson; they are produced singly on long red 

 stalks, which spring from the axils of the leaves; the orange 

 petals are small and overlapping, being compactly enclosed in 

 the scarlet calyx ; the spur, which is also of the same colour , is 

 thick and long, imparting a pear-like form to the whole flower, 

 which, however, is not more than l|in. long. The leaves are 

 nearly round in outline, sub-peltate, five, but sometimes only 

 three-lobed ; lobes entire, sometimes notched, smooth and glau- 

 cous; the leaf -stalks are long and bent, and act as tendrils. 

 The plant makes rapid growth, the stems going out in all 

 directions, some trailing on the ground. 



