THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



SAGINA. 



829 



gardening experience, found no difficulty in 

 maintaining a stock of all these cone- flowers. 

 R. pinnata, R. Zaciniala, R. hirta ripen plenty 

 of seed every year. I never found ripe seed 

 on any of the others, but they are all easily 

 divided ; the whole tribe likes a rich moist 

 soil and a warm aspect. C. WoLLEY-DoD. 



RUMEX (Dock). The only one worth 

 growing is our great native Water Dock 

 (R. Hydrolapathum\ sufficiently striking 

 for a place amongst ornamental subjects 

 by the water-side. Its leaves, sometimes 

 2 ft. or more in length, form erect and 

 imposing tufts ; while its flowering stem, 

 frequently 6 ft. in height, has a dense, 

 pyramidal panicle of an olive-fawn or 

 reddish colour. In autumn the leaves 

 change to a lurid red, a colour they retain 

 for some time. A root or two deposited 

 in the mud near the bank of a pond or 

 a slow stream will require no further 

 attention. 



RUSCUS (Butchers Broom}. These 

 are distributed throughout Europe, North 

 Africa, and temperate Asia. All the 

 hardy kinds may be planted under the 

 drip and shade of trees where few other 

 evergreens could exist. Propagate by 

 division of the roots. The R. aculeatus 

 (Common Butcher's Broom) is a native of 

 our copses and woods, with curious 

 prickly leaves, or rather substitutes for 

 leaves, and small greenish flowers in 

 April, which are succeeded by bright 

 red berries about the size of Peas. This 

 dense, much-branched Evergreen rarely 

 grows more than 2 ft. high, and its thick, 

 white, twining roots strike deep into the 

 ground. The sexes are apart in Ruscus, 

 and to enjoy the handsome scarlet fruits 

 the male and female plants should be 

 mingled. The Alexandrian Laurel (R. 

 racemosus] is an elegant shrub with glossy 

 dark green leaves. Its stems are valuable 

 for cutting. It is one of the best plants 

 for partial shade, and should have deep 

 loamy soil, but thrives on chalk. S. 

 Europe. R. Hypophyllum, a very dwarf 

 kind, and R. Hypoglossum are not im- 

 portant. 



RUTA (Rue). The common Rue (R. 

 graveolens) is not ornamental, but R. 

 albiflora is a graceful autumn-flowering 

 plant about 2 ft. high, with leaves re- 

 sembling those of the common Rue, only 

 more glaucous and finely divided. The 

 small white blossoms, borne profusely in 

 large terminal drooping panicles, last until 

 the frosts. In some localities it is hardy, 

 but, unless planted against a wall, should 

 generally have slight protection in severe 

 weather. It is also known as Bcenning- 

 hausenia albiflora. Nepaul. Another 



pretty plant is the Padua Rue (R.patavina), 

 4 to 6 in. high, with small golden-yellow 

 flowers of the same odour as the common 

 Rue, and the plant is about as hardy as 

 R. albiflora. 



S ABB ATI A (American Centaury). 

 Pretty N. American plants of the Gentian 

 family. The species introduced are S. 

 chloroides, with large pink flowers ; .S. 

 campestris, with light rose flowers ; and S. 

 angularis, with purplish-red flowers. S. 

 chloroides, being found in bogs, requires a 

 very moist spot ; 6". campestris, an open 

 and drier place ; S. angularis, a sheltered 

 situation and partial shade, in imitation of 

 that afforded by the vegetation amongst 

 which it grows wild. The soil should con- 

 sist of equal parts of good fibry loam and 

 finely-sifted leaf-mould, with enough sand 

 to make it open. Seed, which should be 

 sown in summer. The seedlings should 

 be potted off before they become in the 

 least drawn, or weak plants result. They 

 should be wintered in a cold airy frame, 

 and freely pinched to induce a bushy 

 habit. All are biennial, and seed should 

 be sown each year. 



SACCHARUM. S. cegyptiacum is a 

 vigorous perennial Grass, forming tufts of 

 reed-like downy stems, 6 to 10 ft. high, and 

 clothed with graceful foliage. It is suited 

 for the margins of pieces of water and for 

 pleasure-grounds, and requires a warm 

 position. In our climate it does not 

 flower, but is a good plant from its 

 leaves and habit. Division in spring, 

 the offsets being started in a frame 

 or pit ; in May or June they may be 

 planted out. N. Africa. S. Maddeni is 

 a quick-growing, hardy perennial, about 

 5 ft. high, with graceful leaves, and is 

 well worthy of growing with other large 

 Grasses. 



SAGINA (Pearlwor).-T\\z only species 

 worthy of culture is the Lawn Pearlwort 

 (S. glabra), a plant generally known in 

 consequence of its use a few years since 

 as a substitute for lawn Grass, though it 

 has not answered expectations. It is none 

 the less a pretty little alpine plant, form- 

 ing on level soils carpets almost as 

 smooth as velvet, starred in early sum- 

 mer with pretty little white flowers. It is 

 multiplied by pulling the tufts into small 

 pieces and then replanting them a few 

 inches apart, when they soon meet and 

 form a carpet. Although S. glabra does 

 not form a satisfactory turf, yet by select- 

 ing a rather deep sandy soil a turf may 

 be made, but it must be kept per- 

 fectly clean and well rolled, and this 

 is rarely worth attempting. When the 



