122 2Ti)e gKartien's 



a. hardy annual from the Caucasus, is larger, and 

 not quite so neat in habit, yet strikingly beauti- 

 ful with its dark -red petals blotched with black. 

 P. Hookeri is another handsome annual recently 

 introduced, extremely variable in the color of its 

 brilliant flowers. 



Genttana acaults gives us one of the most 

 indelible blues of spring, a lovely, large, urn- 

 shaped blossom clinging closely to the leathery 

 leaves. An Alpine and Pyrenean plant, it is 

 perfectly hardy and not difficult to cultivate. 

 It is larger and more robust than its still pret- 

 tier and near relative, G. verna, which opens 

 its blue stars about a week later. This does 

 best in a slightly shaded and well-drained posi- 

 tion, and when abundantly supplied with water 

 during midsummer. I may call it the sapphire 

 of the rock-garden, as its exquisite blue flower 

 is termed the gem of the mountain- pastures of 

 southern Europe and Asia. Much later to ap- 

 pear is our own fringed gentian (G. crimta), 

 mirroring the blue October skies, and excep- 

 tional for the four fringed lobes of its corolla. 

 G. Andrews^, also a native, has its deep pur- 

 ple-blue flowers striped within with whitish 

 folds. You are fortunate if you can transplant 

 the fringed gentian successfully ; it is like the ar- 

 butus, and pines away from its home. All the 



