IN THE FRONT YARD. 65 



In color the blossoms range from snowy white to pur- 

 ple, and if you have a good collection you will have 

 continuous bloom till the last of June. 



The Vulgaris is the kind generally used in the west. 

 It is rather a shy bloomer in most places. They are 

 notorious for sprouting, and wander out from the pa- 

 rent plant almost as bad as the Canada thistle. Peo- 

 ple put up with their vagaries on account of their sweet 

 and generous blooms, but in this respect they are far 

 surpassed by some of the more modern sorts. Charles 

 the Tenth ranks among the best as a great bloomer. 

 Belonging to the Vulgaris family it is inclined to 

 sprout, however. There are manj striking variations 

 in this Vulgaris family, and, if growing near others, 

 seedlings from them will show quite a variation. We 

 have known parties to raise plants from seeds of the 

 common ones, but there is little chance of improvement, 

 for ''like begets like." At the Brandon station in 

 Manitoba the superintendent has a hedge raised from 

 the seed of Charles the Tenth, and I noted quite a 

 variation in the size of the bushes and in the foliage 

 also, showing that there was a mixed parentage some- 

 where. Mr. Bedford said that there was quite a dif- 

 ference in the blossoms also, that some were even 

 superior to the parent, which was saying a good deal. 



The Persians. These have slender branches and are 

 sure bloomers. They do not sprout like the Vulgaris, 

 yet they multiply from the stool, and if these are taken 

 up and pulled apart a single clump will often produce 

 a dozen. 



