130 



GALANTHUS GALEGA. 



one of them larger than the other. 

 Fruit, roundish (in G. nivalis, oblong or 

 obovate). Native of mountains in the 



kingdom of Naples. 1 am not sure 



if this plant is in cultivation; I 

 failed to obtain it from Italy. Till 

 more plentiful it ought to have a place 

 with the choicest and rarest ornaments 

 of the bulb- or rock-garden, in deep 

 sandy soil. 



Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrop). The 

 common Snowdrop ; 4 to 6 in. high. 

 flowers, early in spring ; solitary ; ex- 

 ternal divisions pure white, oval, con- 

 cave ; internal divisions much shorter, 

 cleft at the top, with a small green 

 wavy mark at the ends on the outside, 

 and longitudinal green ridges on the 

 inside, surrounded by a narrow white 

 margin, gracefully pendent from a 

 membranous spathe at the summit of 

 the stem. Leaves, 2, rarely 3, linear, 

 obtuse, of a glaucous green, shorter 

 than the stem, and sheathing it at the 

 base. Bulb, small, egg-shaped, black 

 or brown. Native of the temperate 

 and southern parts of Europe in 



thickets. It is needless to mention 



here the many positions in gardens 

 which this plant is fitted to adorn ; 

 but its fitness for naturalization in 

 grass, and even grass that must be 

 mown very early in the year, cannot 

 be too much spoken of. Division. 



Galanthus plicatus (Crimean Snow- 

 drop}. Similar to 0. nivalis, but 

 larger in all its parts, except the 

 flower, which is sometimes even 

 smaller and of a more greenish hue. 

 The leaves also have a longitudinal 

 fold on both sides near the edge, from 

 which the specific name is derived. 

 The Crimea, Caucasus, and neigh- 

 bouring countries. Till more plen- 

 tiful this should be in positions where 

 it may be free from accident, and in 

 deep loam, where it will increase 

 rapidly. When plentiful it will be 

 found to suit much the same positions 



as the common one, and it is easily 

 naturalized in free soil and in half- 

 shady positions. It must not be sup- 

 posed, however, that it is so pretty as 

 the common Snowdrop, though more 

 than this has often been claimed 

 for it. Division. 



Galatella hyssopifolia (Hyssop- 

 leaved G.} A pretty Aster -like plant ; 

 1 4 ft. high. Flowers, in autumn ; 

 florets of the disk yellow ; of the 

 ray elongated, white tinged with pur- 

 pie. Leaves, lanceolate-linear, acute, 

 entire, three-nerved, rough ; those of 

 the branches linear-awl -shaped ; scales 

 of the involucrum pointed. North 

 America from New Jersey to Carolina, 



in sandy fields and woods. Borders, 



or naturalization, in any soil. Division. 



Galega officinalis (Officinal Goat' 8- 

 rue). A very handsome and abun- 

 dantly blooming perennial ; 3 to 4 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; pink, or 

 white, in axillary, simple racemes ; 

 stipules broad, lance-shaped. Leaves, 

 imparipinnate ; leaflets in 5 to 7 pairs 

 or more, lance-shaped, mucronate, 

 smooth. G. officinalis alba is a showy 

 white variety, and there is a variety 

 with 'a closer truss of lilac flowers, 

 better than either the ordinary or 

 the white form, and which, but very 

 seldom seeding, flowers much longer. 

 This form I have only seen in culti- 

 vation about Paris. Southern Europe, 

 Barbary, and Tauria, in stony places. 

 Borders, groups, or beds, asso- 

 ciated with the largest and handsomest 

 perennials, or naturalized in any 

 position or soil. Division and seed. 



Galega orientalis (Oriental Goafs- 

 rue). An ornamental plant, though 

 not so much so as the preceding, and 

 easily distinguished by its simple zig- 

 zag stem and creeping roots ; 2 to 4 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; purplish, 

 small, but freely produced in axillary 

 simple racemes ; stipules broad-ovate. 

 Leaves, imparipinnate ; leaflets ovate, 



