HARDY PERENNIAL PLANTS. 199 



The operation may be performed any time late in Fall, or very early in 

 Spring. The roots should be put in boxes of soil and started into 

 growth in a greenhouse about the beginning of March. When potted 

 they may be put in a cold frame early. (See also page 173.) 



FERULA COnMUNIS This plant is grown principally for its very 

 large, handsome leaves, which are very much divided, giving it a 

 feathery appearance. The leaves, which are sometimes 5 feet in width 

 and fully as long, are divided seven times, the leaflets being only one six- 

 teenth of an inch broad. The flower stalks attain a height of from 6 to 

 10 feet. It is one of the earliest plants to show above ground, some- 

 times pushing up the first leaves late in the Fall. After blooming, which 

 occurs about midsummer, it goes to rest, losing all of its leaves before 

 the end of July. The seeds, which are ripened in great abundance, 

 should be sown about the middle of March and encouraged to make all 

 the growth possible before the resting period. 



FRAGARIA INDICA (Rock Strawberry) The flowers of this species 

 are bright yellow. The fruit is dark red and produced all through the 

 Summer and early Fall months. It sometimes increases so rapidly that 

 it becomes a weed. 



FUNKIA (Plantain Lily) A small genus of very handsome folia^sand 

 flowering plants of the Lily family ; most of them are from Japan. There 

 are numerous garden forms all well worth growing, as they make large 

 clumps, and the foliage is, in every case, ornamental. All the variegated 

 forms are well marked, preserving their leaves well all through the sea- 

 son, and thrive with little attention. 



F. ovata has blue or white flowers and large, broad leaves. The va- 

 riety F. o. marginata has the foliage margined with white. F. lanicifo- 

 lia, one of the species most frequently met with, has short, narrow 

 leaves; flowers small, white, with a purplish tinge. This has several 

 prettily variegated forms. All of the kinds are propagated by division 

 of the crowns early in the season. If divided to single growths the pieces 

 should be potted and kept under cover for a time to encourage growth. 

 They thrive best in heavy, rich, loamy soil. 



F. Sieboldiana is a strong-growing species, with large glaucous leaves. 

 The flowers are white, tinged with lilac a very desirable species thriving 

 well in sun or shade. 



F. subcordata has very large, pure white flowers on long stalks. The 

 leaves are light green, but somewhat soft. In places exposed to full 

 sunshine the foliage is apt to suffer; it should therefore have partial 

 shade. Blooming late in the season, it is one of the handsomest herba- 

 ceous plants in cultivation. 



GAILLARDIA ARISTATA There are several handsome flowered varie- 

 ties in cultivation. They are exceedingly effective border plants. Raised 

 from seed in August or September. 



GALAX APHYLLA A dwarf evergreen, the leaves of which are much 

 used by florists in forming backgrounds for floral pieces. It thrives well 



