294 GAEDEN PLANTS. PART II. 



Platystemon. 



P. Californicum. A small delicate plant of trailing habit, with 

 grass-like foliage of ash-green tint ; bears beautiful little snow- 

 drop-like flowers of a pale lemon colour. The plants are at- 

 tached to the soil by such a slender, thread-like stem, that they 

 cannot be transplanted without being greatly injured, if not 

 destroyed. I have not found it succeed well in Bengal. 



LINAGES. 

 Linum. 



L. grandiflorum, var. kermesinum SCARLET FLAX. A delight- 

 ful annual ; bears in great profusion largish, expanded, bright- 

 crimson flowers ; thrives and blossoms in great beauty in India, 

 and yields seed abundantly, which may be saved from year to 

 year; sow in October. The young plants require to be trans- 

 planted cautiously, or are likely to suffer. I have never found 

 them answer in pots so well as in manured soil in the border. 



OXALIDACE^E. 



Oxalis. 



0. rosea. A very pretty little unpretending annual; bears 

 numerous small rose-coloured flowers, but very effective when 

 grown in masses. Grown beside this the new species, 0. 

 Valdiviana, forms a very pleasing contrast, with its numerous 

 cheerful yellow flowers. 0. corniculata is a pretty plant with 

 compact purple-brown foliage and yellow flowers. These two 

 last, though perennial, may be grown as annuals. 



BALSAMINACEJE. 

 Impatiens. 



I. Balsamina BALSAMS Gool Mehndee. Native of India. 

 In a garden where plants have once been grown, seedlings will 

 be sure to come up self-sown each succeeding season ; but these 

 will be weedy, worthless plants, and should be pulled up and 

 thrown away. The finer kinds, raised from imported seed, pro- 



