March.'] PERENNIALS. 45 



had, give them plenty of water, and plant in sandy soil 

 enriched with decayed leaves. The flowers are about six 

 inches in diameter, flowering up the stem, either solitary or 

 <n small bunches. H. sp>ecibsus is the most splendid, and 

 deserves a situation in every garden. The roots in winter 

 ought to be covered with litter, tan, or sawdust; but a 

 6etter method is to lift them, and put them in the cellar, 

 covered with dry earth, and kept from the frost. All the 

 above-mentioned species are improved by being protected 

 during winter. 



Iris, Flower-de-lis, has many fine species of various shades 

 and colours, I. suhiflora, I. nepalensis, I. Pallasii, 1. pdttida, 

 I. cristate/, I. arendria, I. furcata, I. germdncia, I. fiorcn- 

 tina, I. verna, and /. susiana. The last is the finest of the 

 herbaceous species; the flowers are very large and curiously 

 spotted with brown ; it stands the severest of our winters 

 unprotected. The root of I. florentlna is the orris root of 

 the druggists. They are all of easy culture in any loamy 

 soil inclining to moisture. The bulbous species will be 

 treated of in September or October. Corolla six-petalled, 

 three erect and three reclined alternately ; proceeding from 

 spathes or sheaths with flowers in succession. 



IAatris is a genus of native plants, containing several fine 

 species, L. squarrom, large purple heads of beautiful flowers ; 

 L. elegans; L. paniculdta. L. macrdstachya, now L. spiedta, 

 is a fine large-growing species. They have syngenesious pur- 

 ple flowers in long close spikes, differing from other spiked- 

 flowering genera by blooming first at the extremity. They 

 grow best in strong heavy soil. 



Lychnis. Three species are very desirable in the flower 

 borders. L. chalceddnica has bright scarlet-crowned flowers; 

 the double scarlet variety is splendid ; there is also a double 

 white variety; L. fulgens and L. flds-jbvis. They ought to 

 be frecpuently lifted and planted afresh;* or they will dwindle 

 to nothing. The best time is when they begin to grow. 

 There is a plant known in our collections as Lychnis jids- 

 cuculi, ragged Robin or French Pink, which is now Agros- 

 lemma flds-cucidi ; it is a fine and showy border plant, with 

 double red flowers ; a double wdiite variety of it has been 

 recently introduced, of the same character, with the additional 

 <juality of blooming the whole season. They delight in a 

 light rich soil. 

 4 * 



