508 CONVOLVULUS. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



CORDYLINE. 



manure-water being the most effective. 

 Treated thus, with annual surface- 

 dressings of manure, the beds will keep 

 in good condition for years, and bear fine 

 blossoms in abundance. When the plants 

 become crowded with shoots they should 

 be thinned out, or, better still, lifted and 

 replanted. It is now largely forced into 

 flower early, the roots being usually im- 

 ported from the Continent, where they are 

 grown and prepared for the purpose. 1 1 may 

 be naturalised, too, on any place sufficiently 

 moist and shaded, and soon spreads into 

 broad masses. There is a variety with 

 gold-striped foliage, and another with 

 double flowers, but this is not pretty. The 

 finest form is called Fortin's, which is 

 more robust than the common kind, 

 having larger flowers. 



CONVOLVULUS (Bindweed). Hand- 

 some climbing herbs ; some hardy, and 

 where properly used effective. 



C. dahuricus (Dahurian C.) A showy 

 twining perennial, bearing in summer 

 rosy-purple flowers. Excellent for cover- 

 ing bowers, railings, stumps, cottages, 

 &c., and also for naturalisation in hedge- 

 rows and copses. It grows in almost any 

 soil, and, like its relation the Bindweed, 

 is readily increased by division of the 

 roots, which creep. Syn. Calystegia 

 (Caucasus). 



C. major. See IPOMCEA. 



C. mauritanicus (Blue Rock Bind- 

 weed}. A beautiful prostrate twining 

 plant from N. Africa, with slender stems. 

 The flowers blue, I in. across, with a 

 white throat and yellow anthers. The 

 rock-garden, and raised borders ; sup- 

 posed to require sunny positions, in sandy, 

 well-drained soil, but- I find it fine on 

 stiffish cool soils, and even hardy on them. 

 Division or cuttings. 



C. pubescens fl.-pl. (Double Bindweed]. 

 Handsome and useful for clothing 

 trellises, stumps, porches, and rustic-work. 

 It grows rapidly to the height of 6 ft. 

 The flowers are large, double, and of a 

 pale rose, appearing in June and onward. 

 The Double Bindweed likes a light rich 

 soil and a warm aspect. It may be 

 grown in large pots, tubs, or boxes, and 

 prettily used for forming small bowers 

 on balconies, to hide low fences, or to 

 climb round posts. Division. (China.) 



C. Soldanella (Sea Bindweed).- A dis- 

 tinct trailing species with fleshy leaves ; 

 flowering in summer, pale-red, and hand- 

 some in the rock-garden, if planted so that 

 its shoots droop over stones. Also suited 

 for borders, in ordinary soil. Division. 

 Europe and Britain. 



C. sylvaticus. No plant forms more 



beautiful and delicate curtains of foliage 

 and flowers than this, which grows vigor- 

 ously in any soil. The wild garden is the 

 place where it is most at home, and 

 where its vigorous roots may ramble 

 without doing injury to other plants. 

 Among bushes or hedges, over railings, 

 or on rough banks, it is charming, and 

 takes care of itself. The rosy pink form 

 incarnata is supposed to be a native of 

 N. America, but is naturalised in some 



Convolvulus sylvaticus. 



parts of Ireland. Native of S. Europe and 

 N. Africa. 



C. tricolor. One of the most beautiful 

 of hardy annuals, too well known to need 

 description. There are numerous varieties, 

 varying more or less in colour of flowers 

 or in habit of growth. The flowers of the 

 type are blue, yellow, and white, but there 

 are varieties entirely white, and almost 

 every variety is worth growing. The plant 

 being perfectly hardy, may be sown in the 

 open ground in September for flowering in 

 spring, or sown in February, in a heated 

 frame, for transplanting in May for mid- 

 summer flowering, and in the open ground 

 from April to the end of May for flower- 

 ing in late summer and autumn. Syn., 

 C. minor. 



COPTIS (Gold Thread). C. trifolia is a 

 little evergreen bog plant 3 or 4 in. high 

 with trifoliate shining leaves, deriving 

 its common name from its long bright 

 yellow roots. Northern parts of America, 

 Asia, and Europe, flowering in summer ; 

 white. Easily grown in moist peat or 

 very moist sandy soil. Division. 



CORDYLINE (Club Palm). Although 

 these fine-leaved shrub plants are common 

 in greenhouses, it is only in the mildest 



