268 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



Puschkinia scilloides (puschkln-ia, after M. Puschkin. Ord. 

 Liliaceae). A pretty little Scilla-like bulb (see the Botanical Maga- 

 zine, t. 2244), growing about 6 ins. high, and bearing white flowers 

 striped with pale blue in spring; compacta (syn. libanotica com- 

 pacta) is a variety, and may be grown in pots if desired. They will 

 thrive in well-drained garden soil, and are propagated by offsets. 

 They are charming little bulbs for the rockery. 



Pyrethrum, Feverfew (pyre-thrum, from pyr, fire, in allusion to 

 the acridity of the root. Ord. Compositae). A large and important 

 genus, separated from Chrysanthemum by so narrow a line that 

 modern botanists have brushed it aside and merged the two. The 

 most important to the flower gardener are the single and double 

 varieties of roseum, which florists have developed; these are early 

 growers and bloomers, have beautiful flowers, and will bloom a 

 second time if cut back after the first flowering. They are grand 

 plants for herbaceous borders, growing 3 ft. high or more in good 

 soil, and bearing large quantities of flowers. They will thrive in 

 most soils, and are easily propagated by splitting up the clumps 

 when they start growing, which may be at midwinter. Partheni- 

 folium aureum is the Golden Feather (see Golden Feather). Par- 

 thenium, with white flowers in early summer, is the common Fever- 

 few. Tchihatchewii, a dwarf plant with white flowers in summer, 

 is a good plant for dry banks. Uliginosum is a tall, late-blooming 

 perennial with white flowers. See also Chrysanthemum. The 

 following are good varieties of Pyrethrums: 



Single. 



Decoy, scarlet 

 Oliver Twist, cream 

 Roland, lilac 



Double. 



Carl Vogt, white 

 King Oscar, scarlet 

 Ovid, rose 



Pyrola, Wintergreen (pyr-ola, from Pyrus, Pear tree, in reference 

 to the form of the leaf. Ord. Ericaceae). Hardy herbaceous 

 perennials, useful for the rockery. Rotundifolia is the best-known 

 species; it grows about 6 ins. high, and has fragrant white flowers 

 in summer; arenaria, a native of the seaside, is a variety of it. 



Pyrus (py-rus, from pirus, Pliny's name. Ord. Rosaceae). A 

 large and most important genus, including, as it does, those popular 

 fruits the Apple and Pear (see Fruit). The Apple is P. Malus, the 

 Pear P. communis. Several of the Pyruses are grown as orna- 

 mental trees for lawns and shrubberies; among these may be men- 

 tioned Aria, with white flowers in spring, the white Beam Tree, 

 several varieties ; Aucuparia, the Mountain Ash or Rowan, so much 

 admired for its red fruits in autumn, several varieties, including one 

 with pendulous branches and one with yellow fruit; floribunda, a 

 free-blooming tree with rosy flowers in spring; Japonica (syn. 

 Cydonia japonica), good for walls, large scarlet flowers in spring; 

 Maulei, scarlet flowers and yellow fruits; sorbus, creamy flowers 

 and red fruits, the Service Tree ; and spectabilis, light red flowers in 

 spring (Botanical Magazine, t. 267). P. baccata is the Siberian 

 Crab, and P. Cydonia the Quince. All the Pyruses thrive in well- 

 drained loamy soil ; as a class they do not care for stiff, damp soil. 



