COMPOSITAE 123 



the orders nearest to it. But Pterocephalus (or Scab'wsa) 

 Pamassi is a neat and very pretty little Eastern Alpine, 

 with mounds of greyish leaves, and purply Scabious 

 flowers hovering freely over them on short stems. An- 

 other Pterocephalus which I tried from seed has not 

 turned out very well. The Scabiouses themselves are 

 useful rather than distinguished. But caucasica is cer- 

 tainly pretty, and so is japonica, in a bold way, with big 

 flowers of a really lovely soft lavender-blue. 



In all the world there is not another such enormous 

 race as that of the Composite Flowers, whose three 

 branches are aptly typified by three of our commonest 

 weeds, the Daisy, the Dandelion and the Thistle — so that 

 when even Mr. Robinson admits that in this family one 

 has to wade through 'innumerable gawky weeds' before 

 coming to any good garden species, it will be understood 

 how low stands the general level of beauty in this vast 

 and unprofitable clan. Weeds are the Compositae, one 

 and almost all ; and as weeds they will flourish one and 

 all in any open reasonable treatment. If any plant has 

 to be excepted from this rule of easy culture, it will 

 almost always be on account of some fad about climate. 



But, if the generality of Composites are dull, graceless, 

 and stupid, the comparatively few species that have merit 

 have a good deal. Let me not be thought ungrateful or 

 flippant about the beauties of the beautiful Composites. 

 When you get them they nearly redeem, and quite obli- 

 terate, one's memory of their plain relations. Of useful 

 plants in this race Aster alpinus, I think, easily heads 

 the list. And a vast number of Asters, I must first 

 record, are coarse leafy things, washy and poor in colour, 

 and rank in growth. But the brilliant ones are brilliant 

 indeed. I have a great love for Aster pyrenaeus. And 

 then there are species like cassiarabicus, habulicus, Fre- 

 monti, and Townsendi — medium kinds, pleasant and 



