PART II.] 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



231 



little tufts, from which spring flowers of 

 the most lovely blue, which seems oc- 

 casionally flushed with a slight tinge of 

 purplish-crimson. The plant is a native 

 of the high Alps of Europe. G. verna 

 occurs abundantly in the same localities ; 

 but, while it is found on ground not 

 overflowed by water, G. Bavarica is in 

 bloom in very boggy spots, where some 

 diminutive rill has left its course and 

 spread out over the Grass, not covering it, 

 but saturating it so that, when walked 

 upon, the water bubbles up around. The 

 best thing to do with it is to plant it near 

 the margin of a rill, taking care to let no 

 Carices, Cough Grass, Cotton Grass, or 

 other strong-growing subjects get near the 

 spot, or they would soon cover and destroy 

 the plant. It may also be grown in pots, 

 plunged in sand during the summer ; 

 sandy loam to be the soil used, the plants 

 to have repeated and abundant waterings 

 from early spring till the heavy autumnal 

 rains set in, or be placed standing half- 

 plunged in water, with free exposure to 

 light. 



Gentiana ciliata. A rare and beautiful 

 species, with flexuose, almost simple, stems, 

 about 1 foot high, bearing large, solitary, 

 azure-blue, deeply fringed flowers, each 

 from 1 inch to 1^ inches long. It is a 

 native of the Alpine regions of Central 

 and Southern Europe, and the Caucasus in 

 dry pastures, and requires to be planted 

 in a mixture of rich fibrous loam and 

 broken limestone, in sunny fissures of 

 rock ; or it may be grown in well-drained 

 pots, using the same compost. In all 

 cases it should be kept rather dry in 

 winter. Young plants flower freely when 

 only 2 inches or 3 inches high. 



G. crinata (Fringed Gentian). A singu- 

 larly beautiful plant, frequenting .-wet 

 ground and river sides, about 1 foot in 

 li eight, with the loveliest fringed deep 

 indigo-blue flowers I ever saw. It is a 

 biennial plant, very beautiful for the bog 

 garden, if we could get it established in 

 our country from seed. It grows in moist 

 woods and pastures, and also near rivers 

 and streams, and has a wide range in N. 

 America and Canada. 



G. cruciata (Cross-wort). This species 

 has somewhat erect, spreading leaves, ar- 



ranged at right angles or cross-like on 

 simple ascending stems, which are from 

 6 inches to 1 foot in height, the flowers 

 blue, and in whorls. It is a native of 

 dry pastures in Central and Southern 

 Europe. In growing this plant, fibrous 

 loam should be plentifully mixed with 

 small pieces of broken limestone. 



Gentiana decumbens. Stem erect, 

 12 inches to 16 inches high. Flowers 

 numerous, of a fine blue colour, and borne 

 in terminal spikes, from June to August. 

 Native of Siberia, at an altitude of 2000 

 feet to 3000 feet. Syn., G. adscendens. 

 There is a good white variety of this. 



Gentiana decumbens alba. 



G. gelida. Forms dense tufts, or carpets, 

 a foot high, with bent, ascending stems, 

 and blunt leaves, closely set, the flowers 

 very nearly 2 inches long, in large heads 

 of a brilliant blue colour. A native of 

 alpine districts in the Caucasus and 

 Armenia, thriving in rich, moist loam. 

 Division or seed. 



G. Kurroo. One of the most beautiful 



