British Wild Flowers and Trees 247 



Most worthy of notice, in the Galium tribe, is 

 the little white-starred Woodruff (Asperula odorata), 

 which grows profusely in many British woods in 

 spring. Where not wild, it should be grown in 

 gardens, even if only for its fragrance. It is as sweet 

 as the new hay, and continues to give forth its odour 

 for a long time. When green, the 'haulm' of this 

 plant betrays no very noticeable fragrance, but begins 

 to emit it very soon after being cut, and merely 

 requires to be placed on some dry shelf or half- 

 open drawer, where it may get quite dry. 



The common Red Valerian, as it is called, or 

 Centranthus ruber botanically, is a handsome plant, 

 on banks, borders, or rocky places and walls. As 

 it may be readily raised from seed, there can be no 

 difficulty in procuring it, and it should be noted that 

 there is a fine deep red as well as the ordinary 

 variety, and also a pure white one. Like the Wall- 

 flower, they do well on old walls and bridges, and 

 thus have become 'naturalized' in many parts of 

 the country. It is the first plant that comes up 

 in newly-opened chalk-pits. 



The Hieraciums are often beautiful plants, as may be 

 well seen in Mr. Hanbury's book now in progress. 

 Many of them may be grown on rock-gardens or 

 on well-exposed borders of dwarf plants. Such 

 plants as these, the beauty of which is so little 

 known in gardens, should be taken up by persons 

 who like to get out of formal tracks, as botanical 



