226 



SAXIFRAGA. 



that until very common it is likely to 

 be confined to the rockwork, on which 

 its silvery rosettes are conspicuous 

 ornaments, even in the depth of win- 

 ter. It however thrives in the mixed 

 border, in soil of ordinary quality, and 

 like other kinds will grow in poor 

 soil, but has been proved to grow 

 much faster and better in soil enriched 

 by decomposed stable manure. It is 

 easily raised from seed, which should 

 be gathered at intervals of two or 

 three days, as the seeds on the lower 

 branches of the panicle ripen some 

 time before those towards the apex. 

 The seeds should be sown at once in 

 pans of fine sandy loam and peat, the 

 soil firmly compressed, the seeds co- 

 vered very slightly, and placed in a 

 shallow cold frame. When well up 

 they should be potted in small pots, 

 and with liberal treatment they soon 

 form strong plants, which may be 

 placed in the open air in summer, and 

 left there afterwards. The old rosettes 

 do not perish after flowering, but do 

 not always flower every year. Rabbits 

 sometimes destroy it. 



Saxifraga oppositifolia (Purple Saxi- 

 frage). A brilliant native species, 

 2 in. high. Flowers, in early spring ; 

 purplish -rose, large for the size of the 

 plant, solitary on short erect stems, 

 *>ut sometimes so freely produced as to 

 completely hide the foliage ; segments 

 of calyx ovate, green, not half so long 

 as the 5-nerved petals. Leaves, small, 

 opposite, densely crowded, ovate or 

 obovate, flat, obtuse, ciliated. There 

 are the following varieties in cultiva- 

 tion : pallida, pale pink ; alba, white ; 

 major, large. A very fine variety 

 (S. opp. pyrenaica) has dense erect ro- 

 settes of leaves, and flowers f in. 

 across, varying in colour from flesh- 

 pink to deep purple-crimson. Europe 



and Britain, on high mountains. 



The rock-garden, and margins of bor- 

 ders, in moist sandy loam. When in 



borders it will be better to surround 

 the specimen with half -buried stones, 

 and if broken sandstone is mixed with 

 the soil to a depth of 18 in., so much 

 the better. Division. 



Saxifraga pectinata (Comb-leaved S.) 

 A neat silvery species. Flowers, in 

 summer; rather small, white spotted 

 with purple in the centre; divisions 

 of the calyx ovate-triangular, obtuse. 

 Leaves, linear-spoon-shaped, pointed, 

 sharply serrated with triangular teeth ; 

 terminal tooth rather blunt, large, and 

 prominent. Carniola. The rock- 

 garden, in moist sandy soil. Division. 



Saxifraga pnrpurascens (Purple 

 Himalayan S.) The handsomest of 

 the large-leaved species, 3 to 6 in. 

 high. Flowers, in April and May ; 

 handsome reddish-purple, large, of an 

 elegant bell-shape, in dense corymbose 

 panicles. Leaves, nearly round or 

 round-ovate, glossy green margined 

 with red. Sikkim, Himalayas, at very 



high elevations. Allied to the other 



Saxifrages of the large-leaved or Me- 

 gasea section, it is very distinct from 

 any of them, and, being dwarfer and 

 more beautiful, deserves a choice spot 

 in the rock-garden, in moist sandy 

 peat and loam, with plenty of water, 

 and a position fully exposed to the 

 sun ; also on warm borders. I have 

 only seen this in the open air at Glas- 

 nevin. It is very uncommon in gar- 

 dens, but deserves a place in every 

 collection. Seed and division. 



Saxifraga retusa (Retuse S.) A 

 pretty kind, allied to the Purple 

 Saxifrage. Flowers, in spring or 

 early summer ; purple, 2 or 3 together 

 on erect, few-leaved stems ; petals 

 lance-shaped, acute ; segments of ca- 

 lyx oblong-ovate, obtuse ; pedicels 

 and calyces clothed with short glan- 

 dular down. Leaves, small, fleshy, 

 smooth, imbricated, oblong, 3-angled, 

 acute, full of perforated dots above ; 

 ciliated at the base and retuse at the 



