aA MY SHRUBS 
heath with yellow blossoms. It was found in Cornwall by Mr. 
Gauntlett, and is supposed to be a seedling from mixed seeds 
sent home by a sailor. It is hardy in the West, but its habitat I 
do not know. 
Where, nowadays, are the superb Cape heaths of the olden 
time? I fear, while we daily add new treasures to our collections, 
many things quite as fine have dropped out of cultivation—perhaps 
out of existence altogether. Take the gladiolus. All our fat, over- 
blown hybrids put together cannot equal in charm of colouring or 
exquisite delicacy of form the old Cape corn flags discovered and 
figured more than a hundred years ago. Civilisation has probably 
destroyed these gems for ever. Yet no hybrid of Lemoine or 
Child’s may be named in the same breath with them for distinc- 
tion. Indeed, all hybrids, in my experience, lose more than they 
gain over the wildings. The rose is the solitary excuse for “ gar- 
dener’s flowers ” in a garden and, protest as you may, I will assert 
that the species of rosa are far more beautiful than any plump 
and prosperous “ tea’ or “ hybrid tea ”’ in existence. 
With that interesting dwarf, Erinacea pungens, formerly known, 
as Anthyllis erinacea, from Spain, I have failed entirely without 
visible reason, though it is declared to be easy enough. My piece 
was certainly very minute, and with these scraps, which are often 
all we can get, it is wiser to grow them on in a pot for a year or 
two sometimes until there is enough of them to take their chance 
in the open. The shrub is very choice, and Clusius is said to have 
cried with exultation these words, when first he found the little 
pale blue beauty: ‘‘ Plante nova et tota elegans!’ Yet its name, 
adapted from the original appellation, means a hedgehog. There 
are some people who will only see the prickles in everything. 
