THE SrOTTETi TiEAB-XETTlE. 



59 



geometric patterns after tlie fashion of carpets and wall- 

 l)apers. Tlic student of nature — no matter of xvliat sect or 

 school — m^ay be invited tcj make a survey of these plants, 

 and til mcetj if he can^ the question we have propounded 

 to the evolutionist. And the amateur yardeucr who 

 makes no pretensions to scientific observation ma}' iind 

 some entertainment in collecting' the jdants and conipariug 

 their characters. We will here make a brief catalogue of 

 them thai- may prove useful in many waj's. Tlie\' must 

 be given as they appear in the bijoks, or identilicatiun 

 may be difficult. 



JJiiga rcplaiLS fol. var. is the variegated Ijuglc ; 

 Galeohiloloii liileiiiii fol. Cdr. is the variegated yellow 

 dead-nettle, a iine plant for the border; (ildrJiouut 

 heilertteca fni. r,ir. is tlie variegated ground ivy, one 

 of the humbler beauties of the rustic garden ; Jli/h^opim 

 iifficiuitlis varieijiihiH is the varieg'ated-leaved h)'sso}i; 

 Mdjortdia viilgan^ aiirea is the g'olden-leaved marjoram 

 that has beccme a favourite edging' jilant for the ilowcr 

 beds in the London parks ; it is a brilliant thino- uf its 

 Ivind. IIi'l itxa iifficiiiiilix fol. par. is the celebrated 

 golden Ijalm, once a leading plant for " ril.ibon b(.)rders," 

 the leaves Ijeing heavily edged and Idotchcd with full 

 orange-yellow. Of the mint family we can name three 

 plants — 2[i'iilhii rol aiul'ifoVia fol . var., 21. ■ii/lci-'-'</ ri>! fol. 

 r,ir., and J/, rirnli.f fol. var.; Ijut as they are m.it par- 

 ticularly beautiful, we will not praise them. The very 

 ])rett)' variegated rosemary, Ro\ii/:iriniix ofiniuil ix fol . ror., 

 is one of the best of shrubs for a ruin, or a dry starviug- 

 ])lace on a rockery. The sage family offers ns Salmi 

 fiili/i'ii-t fol. rar., S. offlniialiH fol . rar., and two others, 

 line with golden, the other with purple leaves. The 



