94 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS, 
means common, though in a few places plentiful, its 
favourite haunts being woods and coppices. When 
grown in the garden border it scatters its seeds plen- 
tifully, and thus renews itself without any care. But 
fine flowers are not often obtained from the plants 
thus naturalised in the garden. There must be careful 
selection and good cultivation to insure the establishment 
of a good strain, and none but the best should ever be 
allowed to remain after the first flowers have been seen. 
The double kinds are certainly handsomer than the 
single, and as they do not produce seed, or at all 
events but little, they must be multiplied by division. 
Any good soil will suit them, and they bear partial 
shade without injury. 
The economy of the reproduction of this flower is de- 
serving of study. The nectaries, that may be likened to the 
heads of birds, secrete a syrup that appears to be needed 
to promote the growth of the stamens. These are pro- 
duced in a series of circles which have been perfected suc- 
cessively from within outwards, each series changing from 
a recurved to an erect attitude to discharge its pollen, 
the result being a very abundant production of seed. 
The hardy species of columbines that may be met 
with in gardens where choice plants are cherished have 
no place in the catalogue of “ familar” flowers. They 
are, however, extremely beautiful and intensely inte- 
resting. The most useful of all is the noble blue and 
white Aguilegia glandulosa, which rises to a foot in 
height, and produces a profusion of flowers.  <Aguelegia 
ceruiea is the most beautiful of all, though it is  cer- 
tainly not showy; its large and singular flowers—blue 
and white, and tipped with green, and as it were twisted 
