THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



SALVIA. 



791 



autumn. S. sinuata thrives in light, rich, 

 sandy loam, and should be treated as a 

 half-hardy annual. Chili. 



SALVIA (Sage}. The Sages are found 

 in almost all sub-tropical and temperate 

 countries, the showiest kinds in the 

 mountains of Tropical America and 

 Mexico, and hardy kinds in countries 

 bordering on the Mediterranean Sea. 

 Few of the Mexican species are really 

 hardy, but many of them are among the 

 best autumn and winter ornaments of the 

 conservatory and the greenhouse, while, 

 during summer, others are pretty in beds 

 and borders. Few require special treat- 

 ment, the herbaceous perennials being 

 rapidly propagated by division or seed, and 

 the half-shrubby species by cuttings of the 

 young soft shoots in heat. The hardy 

 perennial species require only a little care 

 in the selection of a suitable situation and 

 soil, but they are few in comparison with 

 the half-hardy kinds. One of the hand- 

 somest of the hardy sorts is S. pratensis, 

 a native species sporting into several 

 varieties, which differ from each other 

 in colour, and are called alba, rubra, 

 bicolor, and S. sylvestris is even hand- 

 somer, and has long showy spikes of 

 deep purple flowers. The well-known S. 

 Sclarea and its variety bracteata are 

 good plants for a mixed border, and so 

 is S. Forskohlei, a species similar to them 

 in habit and in colour. The finest of all 

 is S. hians, which is, however, rarely 

 seen. Some of the forms of the common 

 garden Sage (S. officinalis), especially 

 the variegated-leaved kind, are pretty ; 

 and so are the blue - flowered North 

 American S. Pitcheri, and its white 

 variety. The pretty purple red-topped 

 Clary (S. Horminum) is a South European 

 annual of easy culture. The tufts of 

 coloured bracts which terminate its stems 

 make it useful for cutting as well as for 

 border decoration. The silvery Clary 

 (S. argentea) is also an excellent border 

 plant. It has silvery leaves, 6 to 12 in. 

 long, which are handsome when well 

 grown. S. candelabrum, a native of the 

 south of Spain, is a half-shrubby species 

 like the kitchen Sage, and has similar 

 foliage, with ample panicles of rich violet 

 and white flowers, borne on long stalks 

 clear of the leaves. S. taraxacifolia is 

 equally handsome. 



Of the half-hardy species, S. patens is 

 the most brilliant, being equalled by few 

 flowers in cultivation. Although not hardy, j 

 except in some districts on light warm soils, j 

 it is easily preserved through the winter, 

 and readily increased from cuttings. S. 

 cacaliasfolia is a beautiful plant similar to S. 



patens, but of the same hardiness as those 

 mentioned below. S. porphyranthera is 

 a dwarf close-growing species with rich 

 crimson flowers. It rarely fails in the 

 open border. S. farinacea is a beautiful 

 kind bearing light lavender blossoms 

 with a white lip, and having a flower- 

 spike covered with white powder. S. 

 interrupta, a very fine species from 

 Morocco, has large white and light 

 blue flowers. S. Grahami, a very old 

 Mexican kind, has a distinct habit and 

 bears bright carmine blossoms. S. 

 angustifolia and S. azurea are blue kinds, 



Salvia patens. 



worthy of open-air culture, as are also 

 several of the sorts usually grown in 

 greenhouses, such as S. Heeri, S. fulgens, 

 S. gesneraefolia, S. elegans, S. tricolor, S. 

 rutilans, S. splendens, and their varieties; 

 for, though some of them do not flower 

 till autumn, their use for indoor decoration 

 is improved by their being planted out 

 during summer. 



In summer some tender kinds have 

 a fine effect in the open border, and are 

 all easily propagated by cuttings. In 

 August and September they should be 

 raised in a close cold frame, and in spring 

 they should be treated like Heliotropes 

 or Ageratums. When large plants are 

 required, the old ones can either be 

 potted, or put close together in deep 

 boxes and, if potted, they should be cut 



