NOTE\yORTHY PERENNIALS 81 



i,'randpa's glasses and a bottle? The Bleed ini; Heart is closely related 

 to many of our daintiest woodland flowers. 



The Squirrel's Corn (D. canadensis) has small tubers resembling a 

 kernel of Corn, the wliite flowers tipped with rose. The Dutchman's 

 Breeches (D. Cucullaria) has white flowers tipped with creamy yellow, 

 the flowers closely resembling their namesake. Both of these sorts 

 are natives. 



The Plumy Bleeding Heart (D. eximia) is said to have the hand- 

 somest foliage of any border plant. Its flowers are rosy-pink and 

 it is in bloom from May through August. It grows 9 to 12 inches 

 tall and is a most worthy plant. The other Dicentras bloom earher — 

 in April, May and June. 



The Golden Ear-drops (Z). chrysantha) has golden yellow flowers, 

 but is not so well known as the other native ones. 



Uses. The Bleeding Heart is fine for the border or margins of 

 shrubbery. It is also grown as a pot plant and it forces so well that it is 

 useful as a window plant. The native or woodland species naturalize 

 beautifuUy along woodland walks, in the rock garden or in beds of 

 ferns. 



Culture. As soon as the flowers of the Dicentras have finished 

 blooming, the foliage dies down. This makes it difficult to keep track 

 of the various sorts unless they are in locations not easily forgotten. 

 They are very easy of culture, doing weU in either shady or sunny 

 positions, although they are more at home in the shade. They hke 

 a rich, light soil. 



Propagation. They are propagated from seeds, division of the 

 roots, or from young shoots which start from the soil in early Spiing. 

 These shoots or the roots should be divided just before they start 

 growth. 



Dictamnus — Gas Plant, Burning Bush, Dittany 



The Gas Plant is surely one of our most interesting plants. The 

 glossy, leathery leaves are dark green and retain their deep color until 

 late in FaU. The white, pink and purplish-brown flowers are borne 

 on spikes 2 feet to 3 feet high. Both the foliage and flowers are fragrant 

 and when the parts are crushed in the hand, they have the fragrance 

 of a lemon. The Gas Plant begins blooming shortly after Memorial 

 Day, and the seeds ripen about the middle of August. The whole 

 plant gives off" a strong, volatile oil which will give a flash of light if a 

 lighted match is held under the clusters of seed capsules on a sultry 



