THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



KNIPHOFIA. 



6i 7 



J. THURIFERA (Frankincense Juniper}. A 

 small distinct tree, in its native country 

 attaining a height of 40 ft. As a lawn 

 tree it is attractive, and from its dense conical 

 shape associates well with trees of the same 

 race, and is very hardy. Spain and Portugal. 



J. VIRGINIAXA (Red Cedar}. It is of the 

 easiest culture and succeeds in almost any 

 situation. A graceful, hardy tree on the hills 

 and mountains of N. E. America, giving 

 somewhat of the effect of the Eastern Cypress 

 in Italy. This tree, like many Conifers 

 that have been much grown and observed, 

 has had its forms and varieties propagated 

 a good deal, few of them being better than, if 

 as good as, the common kind, the exception, 

 perhaps, being the glaucous or silvery forms, 

 which sometimes occur among plants raised 

 from seed, as they should always be. Garden 

 or curious varieties must, of course, be 

 grafted, as if raised from seed most of these 

 would revert to the wild form. 



KALMIA (Mountain Laurel}. The 

 Kalmias are among the most beautiful of 

 North American shrubs, evergreen in 

 foliage and charming in flower. The 

 broad-leaved Kalmia latifolia is the finest, 

 as it is also the commonest in gardens. 

 Like the Rhododendron and Azalea, it must 

 be grown in a moist peaty soil, or one 

 light or sandy. It will not thrive in stiff 

 or chalky soils. Its lovely clusters of pink 

 wax-like flowers open about the end of 

 June, when the bloom of the Rhododen- 

 dron and Azalea is on 

 the wane, and last 

 for a fortnight or 

 longer. The broad 

 foliage makes it al- 

 most as valuable an 

 evergreen shrub as 

 the Rhododendron. 

 There are varieties 

 of the common kind 

 having, in some cases, 

 larger flowers, and 

 in others, flowers of 

 a deeper colour, the 

 finest being maxima, which is much 

 superior in size of flower and richness of 

 tint. The Myrtle-leaved Kalmia (K. 

 myrtifolia) seems to be only a variety of 

 K. latifolia, with smaller Myrtle-like foli- 

 age. The growth is dwarf and compact, 

 and the flowers are almost as large as 

 those of K. latifolia. The other species 

 of Kalmia, though very beautiful, are of 

 less value, because they are smaller, more 

 delicate, and less showy, but in peat-soil 

 gardens they should be grown. K. 

 angustifolia grows about \\ ft. high, and 

 bears in early June dense clusters of rosy- 

 pink flowers. K. glauca and K. hirsuta 

 are also pretty shrubs, K. glauca flower- 



Kalmia angustifolii 



ing in early summer, and K. hirsuta in 

 August. 



Kaulfussia. See AMELLUS. 



KERRIA (Jew's Mallow}. The 

 double variety of this Japanese shrub, K. 

 ja,po?iica, is an old favourite in cottage gar- 

 dens, where it is most commonly seen. 

 The large bright yellow rosette flowers are 

 much more showy than those of the single 



Kerria japonica. 



kind, which is rarer. Though usually 

 planted against walls, the Kerria is hardy, 

 and may be grown as a bush except in the 

 coldest parts. The variegated-leaved form 

 of the single variety is more delicate than 

 the double form, or the green-leaved single 

 form. 



Knautia. See SCABIOSA. 



KNIPHOFIA (Torch Lily or Flame 

 Flower}. Handsome and very distinct 

 perennials which are prevented by severe 

 winters from becoming very popular. The 

 genus, as understood by botanists, is re- 

 stricted to the mountains of Abyssinia and 

 the Cape, with the exception of one species 

 found by Speke and Grant near the Equa- 

 tor, and one or two kinds indigenous to the 

 mountains of Madagascar. There are 

 twenty or thirty species, and none of the 

 six found in Abyssinia is identical with any 

 sort found at the Cape. The Kniphofias, 

 and especially the forms of K. Uvaria, are 

 among the most striking of autumn flowers. 

 Large irregular groups in open spots 

 give a brilliant effect in autumn, and they 

 require no attention beyond an occasional 

 top-dressing of rich soil or well-rotted 

 manure. During the late winters many 

 kinds have perished from frost, but these 

 dangers may be averted by a covering of 

 dry leaves or ashes in late autumn. The 

 stemless kinds are easily propagated by 

 division and by seed when produced in 

 favourable seasons ; but not the stemmed 

 or caulescent kinds. However, those 

 who wish to increase their stock of the 

 stemmed kinds need not fear to behead 

 them ; in fact, this is the only way in 



