258 



CASSELL'S POPULAK GAEDENrNa. 



and it can te propagated by division and by seeds. 

 P. Riehardsoni is a little-known but very beautiful 

 hardy perennial, allied to the old Jacob's Ladder, but 

 far superior in every respect. It is a native of Arctic 

 North America, consequently is thoroughly hardy ; 

 and as it is will thrive in almost any soil or situa- 

 tion, and is also a fine decorative plant, it should be 

 universally cultivated. The flowers are of a lovely 

 sky-blue colour, with golden-yellow anthers, forming 

 a striking contrast, and are produced in large lax 

 heads. It grows about two feet in height, and 

 flowers in May or June. There is quite a large 

 group of species and their varieties, but those we 

 have named are best deserving of a place in gardens. 

 They are also very free of 

 bloom, lasting for some 

 time in flower. 



The Evening Prim- 

 rose (CEnothera). — The 

 common Evening Prim- 

 rose is (Enothera biennis, 

 a tall and stout herbaceous 

 plant, with long, light 

 green, smooth leaves, and 

 large, pale yellow, fragrant 

 flowers; and it is called 

 the Evening Primrose be- 

 cause its flowers open about 

 six or seven o'clock in the 

 evening, and, as Parkinson 

 observed in 1629, " consist- 

 ing of four pale yellow 

 leaves, smelling somewhat 



like unto a Primrose, as the colour is also, which 

 hath caused the name." 



It is a native of North America, but has become 

 quite naturalised in many spots in the British 

 Islands, and also in many countries on the Continent 

 of Europe. 



There is this peculiarity about the Evening Prim- 

 rose, that it appears to open its flowers very sud- 

 denly, because the points of the calyx are hooked 

 together, and the lower part is burst open some 

 time before the growth of the corolla is suflicient 

 to force apart the hooks, but when once this is 

 effected, the yellow coroUa seems to spread itself out 

 suddenly. 



In reference to its generic name, it is found in 

 Theophrastus, Dioscorides, and Pliny, and is de- 

 rived from the Greek words, onios, " wine," and 

 thera, " imbibing," because the plant to which 

 they applied the name provoked thirst, and a 

 desire for bacchanal indulgence. It was a pink- 

 flowered plant, and does not seem to have been 

 at all related to our genus CEnothera. The specific 



(Enothera taeaxacifolia. 



name refers to its being a biennial — sown in 

 one year, it blooms and perfects its seeds in the 

 next or second year. CE. biennis will grow well 

 in ordinary garden soil, and is increased by means 

 of seed. 



There are several very fine hardy perennial forms 

 of the Evening Primrose; foremost is (E. aeaulia, 

 a neat Alpine species, forming dwarf little tufts 

 of greyish foliage, which produce an abundance 

 of large white flowers ; it is very distinct, and a 

 most useful plant. It is a native of Chili. <E. 

 eximia (syn. CE. marginata) is the Large Evening 

 Primrose, introduced from North America some 

 years ago. It is a very fine kind, growing from 

 nine to twelve inches in 

 height, blooming as nobly 

 as any luxuriant native 

 of ti.d tropics, the indi- 

 vidual flower being four 

 to five inches across, of 

 the purest white, chang- 

 ing as the flowers become 

 older to a very delicate 

 rose, the blooms coming 

 full above the toothed or 

 jagged leaves as the even- 

 ing approaches, and re- 

 maining in all their glory 

 during the night, emitting 

 a delicious Magnolia-like 

 odour. It is a true peren- 

 nial, quite hardy, and 

 increased by suckers from 

 the root, which are freely 

 produced. It can also be increased by cuttings. 

 It begins to flower in May, continuing till the 

 weather gets hot about July, when it seems to hke 

 a rest, and again blooms in September and October. 

 Young vigorous specimens in rich ground would 

 probably flower continuously throughout this period. 

 The following accounts for its introduction to this 

 country : — " Mr. Robert Stark, of Edinburgh, a 

 well-known lover and cultivator of rare hardy 

 plants, obtained roots of this when in Canada from 

 a botanist in the Western States of America, and it 

 is to him we are indebted for its introduction to oui' 

 gardens." CE. macrocarpa is in reality a broad-leaved 

 form of CE. missouriemis, the Missouri Evening 

 Primrose. It is a native of the dry hills on the 

 Missouri, and the banks of the river. It is a noble 

 and most useful herbaceous plant, with prostrate, 

 rather downy stems, entire leaves, their margins 

 and nerves covered with silky down, and bears rich, 

 clear golden-yellow flowers from four to five inches 

 in diameter. It is a very showy plant, growing in 

 almost any soU or situation. As the seed is but 



