346 ALPINE FLOWERS. Part II. 



near the summit, so as to form a sort of whorl round the 

 flowers. A native of many parts of North America, increased 

 by seed or by the division of its tuberous roots. There is a 

 pretty double variety, T. anemonoides fl. pL, with the flowers 

 somewhat smaller than those of the single one, and very neat. 

 Being small and fragile in its parts, it requires a little more care 

 than most of its brethren, should have a light peaty and moist 

 soil, and be associated with other delicate growers, or placed 

 in a position where it is not liable to be overrun by coarse 

 neighbours. = Anemone thalictr aides. 



yHALICTRTJM MINUS. — Maidenhair Meadow Rue. 



Perhaps of all the flowerless plants introduced to this country, 

 none has given so much pleasure as the Maidenhair fern 

 {Adianium cuneatum), found in every stove and fernery, and 

 which is in such great demand in every garden for mingling 

 with cut flowers. I cannot give a plan by which our Brazilian 

 friend may be grown in the open air in Britain, but have a 

 substitute to recommend, which is as hardy as the common 

 Crowfoot. Thalictrum minus is the plant, a native of Britain, 

 but also found on the Continent and in Russian Asia. By 

 pinching off the small, weak, and inconspicuous blooms that 

 appear in summer, the plant presents a good resemblance in 

 outline to the Maidenhair fern — ^looks, in fact, like a well-grown 

 plant of .,4. cuneatum brought out of the stove and plunged in 

 the open border. Singular to say, the finely dissected and 

 elegant leaves are equally well adapted for mingUng with cut 

 flowers, and better in one respect, as they are of a pretty firm 

 and wiry consistency, and do not fade quickly like those of the 

 fern. It would form an excellent subject to plant in the mixed 

 border, on the rockwork, or indeed in the flower-garden as a 

 green edging. It has scarcely ever been grown in our gardens 

 for these purposes, and for that reason I, having ascertained its 

 merits, here speak so favourably of it. It will thrive in any soil, 

 and requires no trouble whatever after planting, unless pinching 

 off a few flowers may be so considered. 



THLASPI LATIFOLIUM.— 5/4owy Bastard Cress. 



A DWARF but strong-growing plant, with large indented root- 

 leaves and corymbs of pretty white flowers, somewhat like those 



