572 'Ranunculus \>amassifblius and O'xalis Jloribunda, 



117 



Art. XIX. On the Cultivation of "Ranunculus parnassifblius and 

 O'xalisjloribunda. By Mr. John Menzies, Gardener to Chris- 

 topher Rawson, Esq., Hope House, near Halifax. 



Sir, 

 Panu'nculus ^>arnassifolius of your Hortus Britannicus, 

 p. 230., was introduced in 1769, and is now very rarely met 

 with, on account of the difficulty of preserving it from the 

 attacks of snails and slugs in the spring months. I have for 

 the last four years used (for the preservation of this rare and 

 beautiful plant) a pot or snail trap (Jig. 117.)j of the same 

 composition as a common garden pot, all in 

 one piece. The trap is 14 in. in diameter, 

 and 6 in. deep ; the plant is planted inside, 

 at a, which is without bottom, and allows 

 the roots to penetrate through. The divi- 

 sion b is joined at the bottom without any 

 holes, merely for holding water. The trap 

 is then sunk nearly on a level with the sur- 

 face of the ground, in a situation where it is 

 shaded from the midday sun : the water 

 effectually prevents either snails or slugs 

 reaching the plant. The soil used is equal 

 parts of hazelly loam, vegetable mould, and 

 bog earth, in which the plant grows luxuri- 

 antly, throwing up flower stems from 10 to 

 12 in. high. It is propagated by seeds. The 

 trap should be covered in winter with leaves, 

 to prevent its being broken by the frost. In the bed with the 

 Ranunculus I have grown pyrolas, cypripediums, trilliums, 

 Panax trifolia, Trientalis europag v a and americana, Rubus pis- 

 tillatus, arcticus, and Chamaemorus ; Soldanella alpina, CluszY, 

 minima, and montana ; Anemone alpina, patens, acutipetala, 

 Haller/, vernalis, and warcissiflora : and I have planted, in a 

 little frame near it, Epigae^a repens, Polygala paucifolia, Rho- 

 dodendron Chamaacistus and lapponicum, Andromeda tetra- 

 g6na, ^nthyllis erinacea, Parnassia caroliniana and asarifolia, 

 Phalictrum anemonoides, Phalictrum anemonbidesflore pleno, 

 Gentian verna, alpina, and Saponaria alba ; Jeffersonm 

 diphylla, and Soldanella minima alba. 



O'xalis floribundaflor/. Brit., p. 185. [rosea. Add. Sup. p. 595.] 

 was introduced in 1826 from South America. This plant has 

 a singular fleshy root, quite different from the other species of 

 the same genus ; and, as it possesses extraordinary beauty 

 when in flower, perhaps the following mode of culture may 

 be worthy the attention of some of your readers : — On an 



