AUTUMN PERENNIALS UNDER GLASS 103 



and hung with its vivid orange-scarlet capsules. It is 

 much finer in every way than the old P. Alkekengi. The 

 first frost makes the leaves drop when the plant is out of 

 doors, but with the protection of glass we get foliage with the 

 brilliant lanterns, which is a great gain. Another hardy 

 Japanese perennial Tricyrtis hirta which is, strictly speak- 

 ing, a miniature Lily, with a short, creeping root-stock, makes 

 an admirable late cold greenhouse plant. Its pretty mauve- 

 white flowers, spotted with lilac or purple, are very Orchid- 

 like in their effect, and are borne pretty freely. 



Carnations of the self-coloured Grenadin type, which are 

 chiefly white and scarlet of various shades, are invaluable for 

 autumn flowering. If the object is to ensure really good 

 flowers it is a good plan in the first instance to raise a batch 

 of seedlings from reliable seed of the best strain, which should 

 be allowed to flower the first season in the open ground. Many 

 variations will occur amongst them, and a strict selection of the 

 finest must be made for future stock. Any tendency to throw 

 up flower-stems in the spring must be kept in check, and 

 layers should be laid early in the season, before midsummer if 

 possible. When thoroughly rooted, which will be in about 

 six or eight weeks from the time of layering, they should be 

 transferred to 5-in. pots, and it must be borne in mind that 

 Carnations, of all plants, like very firm potting to ensure good 

 flowering. If all goes well flower-stems will soon begin to 

 appear, and a cold frame will be sufficient to bring them on 

 until they are ready for the greenhouse. 



For hanging-baskets or pans raised to a position near the 

 eye, a creeping Himalayan perennial, familiarly known as the 

 Shamrock Pea (Parochetus communis), which flowers natur- 

 ally in October and November, is extremely pretty, both in 

 its twin Pea-flowers of pale stone-blue and its large trifoliate 

 leaves. It is also more satisfactory to flower under glass than 

 out of doors, even on the most sheltered rockery. For the 



