THE RED ROCKERY 191 



Gentiana Andrews! is a fine thing, and young plants 

 are already flowering, though far short of full size; 

 while, hard by, claytonia perfoliata, a little purslane, 

 prospers and spreads shining leaves and scatters 

 racemes of pink flowers in prodigal profusion. Saxi- 

 fraga Burseriana the old form does fairly well in 

 clumps at hand ; but I know where it may be seen 

 to better advantage, and rather think it prefers lime- 

 stone to sandstone. 



Isophyrum thalictroides is a pleasant miniature 

 plant, with fern-like foliage and sprightly white 

 flowers lifted above it. This flower enjoys the cool 

 shade of my red rockery; but mitchella repens, a 

 dainty dwarf sent long ago to Linnaeus by Dr. 

 Mitchell of Virginia, fails as yet to earn applause. 

 It proceeds heartily about its business, but no little 

 fragrant blossom has peeped forth to win attention. 

 The leaves and habit, however, are pleasant to see. 

 Ourisia coccinea, called after Governor Ouris of the 

 Falkland Islands, is one of a considerable family of 

 ourisias that flourish in New Zealand and Tasmania. 

 They have kin dwelling in the Antarctic regions of 

 South America and the Andes. O. coccinea comes 

 from the Andes of Chili. He arrived in England a 

 year before I did. We are both still practically un- 

 known ; but fame has no charm for either of us, and 

 we creep about the surface of the earth and mind our 

 own business in a very contented manner. Ourisia 

 insists upon a moist soil and plenty of shade differ- 

 ing utterly from me in respect of these predilections. 

 His scarlet flowers are good, and foliage handsome. 



