4<S Hardy Plants for 



plant in cultivation, and yet how rarely is any' tliorough preparation 

 made for its perfect development. A paltry class of tender plants 

 may cost more labour and time in the course of a few months than 

 would suffice to plant a field of the Pampas grass, yet such a 

 glorious thing as this may be put in with perhaps a barrowful of 

 mould to start on a bad soil, and then perhaps be placed by the 

 water or some other secondary spot called its "proper place." 

 What is there growing in garden or in wild more nobly distinct 

 and beautiful than the great silvery plumes of this plaiit waving 

 in the autumnal gusts — the burial plumes as it were of our 

 summer too early dead ? What tender plant so effective as this in 

 giving a new aspect of vegetation to our gardens if it be tastefully 

 placed and well-grown ? Long before it flowers it possesses more 

 merit for its foliage and habit than scores of things cultivated 

 indoors for their effect — Dasylirions, &c., for example, and it would 

 be well worthy of being extensively used if one of its silken- 

 crested wands never put forth in autumn. It is not enough to 

 place it in out-of-the-way spots — the general scene of every garden 

 and pleasure ground should be influenced by it — it should be 

 planted even far more extensively than it is at present, and given 

 very deep and good soil either natural or made. The soils of very 

 many gardens are insufficient to give it the highest degree of strength 

 and vigour, and no plant better repays for a thorough preparation, 

 which ought to be the more freely given when it is considered that 

 the one preparatign suffices for many years. If convenient, give it 

 a somewhat sheltered position in the flower garden, so as to prevent 

 as much as possible that ceaseless searing away of the foliage which 

 occurs wherever the plant is much exposed to the breeze. We 

 rarely see such fine specimens as in quiet nooks where it is pretty 

 well sheltered by the surrounding vegetation. It is very striking to 

 come upon noble specimens in such quiet green nooks; but, as 

 before hinted, to leave such a magnificent individual out of the 

 flower garden proper is a decided mistake. 



Helianthus orgyalis. — They use this in some parts of the 



