436 GARDEN" PLANTS. PART If. 



and a little sand. From the cow manure the large white grubs 

 must have been carefully picked out. By the above mode of 

 cultivation at Ferozepore I had a large collection of plants, 

 giving in the month of March a splendid display of beautiful 

 flowers of nearly every variety. 



They are easily propagated by pegging down the longer stems 

 in their pots ; if this be done in November they very soon make 

 roots, and form fresh plants. Or sink a flower-pot in the ground 

 in a shady place, half-fill it with river-sand ; insert cuttings, well 

 water them, and cover the pot with a pane of glass. Adopting 

 this latter method, I have met with much success in increasing 

 my plants. 



Saponaria. 



S. officinalis. A pretty herbaceous plant, about fifteen inches 

 high ; most commonly in blossom ; bears pale-pink flowers, some- 

 what resembling, but much inferior to those of the Phlox. Pro- 

 pagated easily by division of the roots. 



PORTULACACE^E. 

 Portulaca. 



P. meridiana. A small pot-plant, ornamental for its pretty 

 moss-like leafage. 



Portulaoaria. 



P. Afra. SPECKBOOM ELEPHANT'S FOOD. A pretty little 

 pot plant, with small, succulent leaves ; native of a lofty moun- 

 tain near Cradock at the Cape, called after it the Speckboom 

 Mountain ; though thriving well, never known to blossom here, 

 I believe. 



POLYGONACE.E. 

 Polygonum. 



P. adenophyllum, A large herbaceous plant, native of the 

 Mysore hills ; bears, during all the Cold season, numerous dense 

 spikes of small pure-white flowers ; exceedingly bright and cheer- 

 ful, especially as the Hot weather approaches, when the foliage 

 assumes an autumn-red tinge ; grown in the border it is rather 

 troublesome, as it spreads over the ground very rapidly. Pro- 

 pagated by division. 



