Part II. ARENARIA. 151 



eighteen inches of the water, but all the flowers look up from 

 the shade to the light. Right and left there are boulders in all 

 sorts of positions, on every face of which it may be seen, as 

 every tiny joint roots against the face of the rocks, and the 

 minute mat of leaves is so dense that enough of moisture is 

 preserved to sustain the plant. To establish it on the stones, 

 plant firmly in any common soil near the stones or rocks you 

 wish it to cover, and it will soon approach and begin to clothe 

 them. Flowers in spring and continuously, and is readily 

 increased by division or seeds, and quite easy to grow on most 

 soils. On cold ones it sometimes perishes in winter, but its 

 true home is on the rockwork. It is easily known at any season 

 by its dense tufted cushions of veiy small leaves. A native 

 of Corsica. 



ARENARIA 'M.O'NT AN A.-^Motmtaift Sandwort. 



A LITTLE grown but very ornamental plant, having the habit 

 of a Cerastium, and fine pure white and large flowers — of suf- 

 ficient substance to look waxy. It has slightly downy leaves, 

 very narrow and ciliated, diffuse wiry stems, long, but, when 

 well-grown, forming flat spreading tufts, on which the flowers 

 appear so thickly in early summer as to obscure the foliage. 

 It is the most ornamental of the Sandworts, and should be in 

 every collection of herbaceous or alpine plants. On rock- 

 work it would be well to plant it where its branches might fall 

 over the face of a rock, giving if any kind of light soil. I have 

 seen it thrive healthfully in borders in good sandy loam, and 

 it is one of the most attractive early summer flowering plants 

 for the front edge, succeeding the white, evergreen Candytufts 

 and like flowers. Found wild in many parts of France, and is 

 easily raised from seed. 



ARENARIA PURPTJRASCENS. — Pzirplish Sandwort. 



Distinguished from other cultivated kinds by its purplish 

 flowers, produced in abundance on a dwarf densely tufted 

 mass of smooth narrow-oval pointed leaves. It grows plen- 

 tifully over all the Pyrenean chain, is perfectly hardy, and, 

 like the other kinds, increased by seed or division. It should 

 be associated on the rockwork with the smallest of its brethren, 

 or with dwarf Saxifrages and other plants which, though very 

 dwarf, are not slow growers. 



