DESCRIPTIVE AND SELECTIVE. 265 



of it. Montana J with purple flowers, has rounder 

 leaves than Alpina ; it is a pretty kind. Pusilla is 

 smaller ; it is a charming little Alpine with violet 

 flowers. This is shown in one of the coloured plates 

 with Primula Minima. Minima is the smallest of all, 

 and has lilac flowers. Most of these are offered by 

 the principal trade hardy plantsmen, and a collection 

 would prove deeply interesting. 



SPIGELIA MARILANDICA.—A North American 

 plant of great beauty and distinctiveness, with tubular 

 flowers an inch or more long, crimson and yellow in 

 colour, and borne on stems in thick tufts a foot high or 

 more in summer. It loves moist peaty soil. Propa- 

 gation is by division between autumn and spring. 



STATICE (Sea Lavender). — ^The best of these, 

 such as incanaj latifolia and sinuata, are spreading in 

 habit, and better suited to the border than the rockery, 

 where, however, they may be planted if there is plenty 

 of room. Minuta is quite suitable for the rockery, 

 growing less than six inches high ; it produces its lilac 

 flowers in July. It thrives in sandy loam, and may be 

 increased by division in spring. 



STERNBERGIA. — ^This small genus includes at 

 least two beautiful and valuable species, namely, lutea 

 and macrantha. The former is the better known. It 

 is an old and much esteemed plant, producing quanti- 

 ties of bright yellow flowers in autumn. Bulb-dealers 

 supply it, but it ought to be bought early, with Roman 

 Hyacinths, Madonna Lilies, Belladonna Lilies, and 

 other early things. The drawback to it for use on the 

 rockery is that it is dormant and bare in summer, but 



