6 FAMILIAS GASDEX FLOirEltS. 



degree coarse^ and their beauty and bravery soon pass away, 

 and they offer but little of character to interest during the 

 many months when they are not in flower. In this respect 

 they resemble the herbaceous pseonies, although it must be 

 admitted that of the two the latter are the more worthy 

 of regard both for distinctive leafage as well as splendid 

 flowers. But the brevity of their display is of great im- 

 portance, for they occupy much room, and afford special 

 gratification for so short a space of time that we may liken 

 them to fireworks, that dazzle us for a moment and then 

 make us painfully sensible of the negation of darkness. 

 In a small garden such plants are rather in the way than 

 welcome. But in the woodland, and in the garden that has 

 many large features, they are noble adornments in their 

 season of flowering, and are unobtrusive at other times. 

 And they are particularly valuable in gardens that partake 

 somewhat of a public nature, where there is an ample space 

 of grass turf, mixed shrubberies, and extensive borders 

 that obtain attention only occasionally. Here these large 

 subjects come in usefully, and if there are perennial poppies, 

 pseonies, phloxes, and early flowering chrysanthemums in 

 plenty, there will be much bloom at little cost, because 

 such plants can take good care of themselves for many 

 years if properly planted in the first instance. 



The section of poppies of which our present plant is 

 a representative may afford to the amatevir gardener a 

 pretty lesson in plant propagation. The seeds ripen pretty 

 freely, and may be most easily grown into serviceable 

 j)lants. Moreover, the plants themselves may be divided, 

 and every rooted tuft planted out in moist, mild weather 

 will soon become establisbed, and do its duty. But there 

 is yet a third mode of multiplication, rarely practised, but 



