FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 
no greater care than is involved in the culture of hardy annuals 
generally. Ordinary garden soil that is neither too poor nor too heavy 
will suit them. The seeds should be sown thinly in the open border, 
any time from March to May; the seedlings being thinned out until 
only the best plants are left at intervals of seven or eight inches. They 
do not succeed so well if transplanted. 
Description of The species represented is N. hispanica. Fig. 1 is a 
Plate 8. vertical section through the flower, showing the interior of 
the carpels with their double rows of ovules and the singular petals 
below the stamens. One of these petals greatly enlarged is shown in 
Fig. 2: there are two lips and a hollow spur within which honey is 
secreted. Fig. 3 depicts the smooth black seeds, which are acrid and 
aromatic; they are shown of the natural size and much enlarged. 
Fig. 4 represents a seedling. 
WINTER ACONITES 
Natural Order Ranunculaceje. Genus Eranthis 
Eranthis (Greek, ear, the spring, and anthos , flower). A genus 
containing two species of tuberous-rooted perennials, with radical 
palmate leaves; and flower scapes bearing a solitary flower, surrounded 
by an involucre cut into many narrow segments. The flowers appear 
before the leaves, and consist of from five to eight coloured sepals, and a 
similar number of short, tubular, inconspicuous petals. Natives of 
Europe and N. Asia. 
E. hyemalis (winter). Well known in gardens as the Winter 
Aconite, because of the resemblance between its foliage and that of 
Aconitvmi. The cup-shaped golden yellow blossoms appear in January 
or February with those of the Snowdrop. It has from six to eight 
sepals, and as many petala It seldom exceeds 5 or 6 inches, so that it 
is very suitable for a front position in the border. 
E. sibiricus (Siberian) is much smaller (3 inches), and blooms a 
little later. It has only five sepals. 
Aconites succeed in any soil, and if left undisturbed soon become 
naturalised. They are increased by root-division, and are suitable 
for the rockery, wild garden, or a slope partially shaded by trees. 
They are very effective when planted thickly in shrub-beds on lawns, 
eta A pretty spring effect is produced by planting Eranthis under the 
Siberian Dogwood (Gomus sibirica). 
