208 



PBAGTIGAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS aubeietia 



flowers produced from May to July. 

 There are several varieties, chiefly differ- 

 ing in the colour of the flowers — white, 

 and various shades of purple. The great 

 charm of the plant, however, lies in its 

 large flat elKptic silvery seed pods, like 

 opaque spectacles, which are borne in 

 such profusion, and so much used for 

 room decoration during the autumn and 

 winter months. 



There is a variegated form in which 

 the leaves are broadly edged with whitish 

 or creamy yellow. 



Culture and Propagation. — Honesty 

 should be raised from seeds sown in the 

 open border every spring, and the seed- 

 lings may be either thinned out or trans- 

 planted early in autumn or preferably in 

 spring to their flowering quarters for the 

 following season. A good sandy loam 

 suits them best, but any rich garden soil 

 will produce fine specimens. The plants 

 should not be nearer than about 18 in. to 

 each other, and if the leading shoot is 

 pinched out, fine bushy plants and plenty 

 of blossom will be obtained by the 

 development of the side shoots. As the 

 young and tender shoots are greedily 

 devoured by slugs, a watch must be kept 

 on these marauders. A dusting of Hme 

 and soot early in the morning while the 

 dew is still on the ground will keep them 

 at bay. 



L. rediviva is a vigorous, hairy, branch- 

 ing perennial species 2-3 ft. high, with 

 large, heart-shaped, deeply toothed leaves 

 on long stalks, and racemes of purplish 

 fragrant flowers produced in early sum- 

 mer. The fruits or seed pods are smaller 

 than those of the Common Honesty and 

 also less rounded, but they may be simi- 

 larly used. 



Culture do. as above. Although not 

 so well-known as its biennial relative, this 

 perennial species, which is a native of the 

 Alps, is ornamental in the rockery or 

 flower border if grown in masses for effect. 

 It prefers a good sandy soil and a some- 

 what shaded position facing north or 

 north-west. Seeds may be sown as re- 

 commended above for L. annua, but the 

 established plants may also be divided at 

 the root either about September or in 

 spring when growth is about to commence. 

 Cuttings of the non-flowering side and 

 basal shoots may also be rooted during 

 the summer months in a shady border or 

 in a cold frame. 



SELENIA. — A genua of 2 species of 

 small and not well-known annual herbs, 

 with pinnatisect leaves, and terminal leafy- 

 racemes of yellowish flowers. Sepals 

 spreading, coloured, sub-equal. Petals 

 erect. Glands 10, hypogynous. 



S. aurea. — A native of the United 

 States, with linear oblong pinnatifid 

 leaves 1-2 in. long, having 5-7 pairs of 

 segments. The golden-yellow scented 

 flowers, with greenish yellow sepals, 

 appear about June, and last a long time. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 pretty annual grows about 9 in. high and 

 may be raised from seeds sown in early 

 spring in gentle heat, or out of doors in 

 April and May. The seedlings may be 

 either pricked out in mild weather or 

 thinned out 6-9 in. apart in ordinary good 

 garden soil. 



FARSETIA.— A genus of about 20 

 species of hardy or half-hardy branched 

 erect herbs or undershrubs, more or less 

 hoary or downy, with entire alternate 

 leaves, and racemose or spiked flowers, 

 sometimes minute, white, yellow or 

 purple. Sepals often erect, the lateral 

 ones saccate at the base. Petals clawed. 



Culture and Propagation.~-'M.ost of 

 the Parsetias are pretty, and will grow 

 in ordinary garden soil. They are good 

 plants for rockeries, borders &c., and are 

 easily increased by seeds sown in spring 

 in gentle heat, or as soon as ripe in cold 

 frames. The seedlings may be pricked 

 out as soon as large enough to handle 

 easily, and afterwards transferred to the 

 open border about the end of May or 

 beginning of June. 



F. segyptiaca. — A somewhat tender 

 much-branched shrub 1 ft. high, from 

 N. Africa, with hnear hoary leaves, and 

 white flowers in July. 



Culture (Be. as above. Grows best in 

 sandy loam and peat in sheltered spots. 



F. clypeata. — A native of S. E\n-ope, 

 1-2 ft. high, with oblong spreading leaves, 

 and yellow flowers in June. 



Culture li-c. as above. 



F. lunarioides. — A sub-shrubby species 

 about 1 ft. high, from the Greek Archi- 

 pelago. Leaves oblong-obovate, stalked, 

 hoary. Flowers in June, yellow, with 

 whitish sepals. 



Culture i(t. as above. 



AUBRIETIA (Purple Eock Cress). 

 A small genus of evergreen, more or 



