106 PAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 
has met with in his wanderings, such as Micia cracea and 
Lathyrus sylvestris, which are apt to throw their arms 
about as if the hedgerows belonged to them, and boundaries 
and rights had never been heard of in the land. And it 
is worthy of remark that these splendid wildings may be 
easily introduced into the garden by simply gathering the 
ripe seeds (of which the plants produce plenty), and sowing 
them where they are to remain, taking care, however, to 
give them a reasonable chance of struggling up into the 
light in positions similar to those they find for themselves 
in their vast domain of no-man’s-land. As a rule, a sandy 
soil suits them best, as may be known by their frequency in 
sandy districts ; but they like good living, and starving land 
will not produce many vetches, whether wild or cultivated. 
In like manner all our cultivated species of dathyrus, orobus, 
and astragalus do best on a deep sandy loam. But they 
are not very particular, provided they have a good soil of 
some sort, and are left alone for a few years to become 
well established in it. Indeed, nine-tenths of the best of 
our hardy flowers only ask to be left alone to find delight 
in doing their duty. If they are transplanted about from 
place to place—as it is the way of beginners to treat all 
their plants—they take the sulks and refuse to flower, or 
they take themselves off, and so teach a lasting though 
disagreeable lesson. 
The round-leaved pea (Lathyrus rotundifolius) gyows 
to a height of about two feet, and flowers in August. The 
flowers are produced in long loose clusters of a bright rosy 
purple colour. It is a native of the Caucasus, and tho- 
roughly hardy. Its low growth precludes its employment 
to cover arbours and trellises; but it is a good rockery 
plant, and may with advantage be planted where it can 
