102 FJMIlIAn GATibEN FLOTTERS. 



bulbous root like a little turnip. This has a bold yellow 

 Hower, the sejmls of which turn downwards. RniuiiicidnH 

 refieiiis is the creeping-rooted buttereupj with large glossy 

 flowers. It occurs in every variety of soil, but always, in 

 an open situation, and when much ex}iosed is the most 

 splendid flower of its family. A few j'ears since we saw 

 vast quantities of this species in some new roads connected 

 with the deserted docks near Rotterdam. The plant had 

 spread amongst the loose stony soil of those roads, and all 

 traffic being abandoned through a commercial collapse, the 

 buttercup had that part of the world all to itself, and the 

 flowers were of great size, intensely yellow, and very highly 

 varnished. The third in the series is Uiiiiunculus acria, 

 the acrid meadow crowfoot, more of a meadow and pasture 

 plant than the last, and only a shadow less beautiful. 

 This is the species to which we are indebted for the double 

 variety here figured. But all three produce double flowers, 

 and, in fact, 7f. repeiis produces two double varieties, which 

 are une([ual in quality, the best of the two being of dwarf 

 growth and neat habit. Any of these are the mary-buds 

 of the p(X'ts, for the sentimental eye does not recognise the 

 distinctions of the botanists, which are often as trivial as 

 the fancies of the versihcrs, but less attractive, and perhaps 

 in the end less useful. 



The hairy buttercup (R. Iiirtsiitiix) comes near to the 

 foregoing, tlniugh smaller and paler in colour ; but it pro- 

 duces a double variety to make its resemblance the more 

 complete. Of (he other British crowfoots or 1)uttercups 

 we need not speak, for they are scarcely to be reckoned 

 garden Howers. There are, however, several valuable 

 plants in the genus res])ecting which a few words may be 

 offered with advantage. 



