214 



PBAGTICAL GUIDE TO GABBEN PLANTS eeysimum 



At one time the double varieties were more 

 extensively grown than they are at the 

 present day. 



H. violacea. — A pretty biennial or 

 perennial species 1-2 ft. high, native of 

 Asia Minor, with tufts of oblong downy or 

 hairy leaves irregularly toothed on the 

 margins. The bright purple or violet 

 flowers, with deeper coloured veins, are 

 produced from April to June in large 

 trusses well above the foliage, and are 

 highly efifective and ornamental in the 

 border or rockery. 



Culture dc. as above. This species, 

 although really a perennial, is usually 

 raised from seeds sown in autumn or 

 spring. 



MALCOLMIA.— A genus of about 

 20 species of beautiful branching and 

 often prostrate hairy herbs, having alter- 

 nate, entire, or pinnatifid leaves. Flowers 

 in loose racemes, bractless, white or 

 purple. 



Culture and Propagation. — The Mal- 

 colmias grow easily in ordinary good gar- 

 den soil, and may be raised from seeds 

 sown thinly from spring till autumn, to 

 obtain a succession of bloom.. The general 

 treatment is the same as recommended 

 above for the Dame's Violet (Hesperis). 



M. chia. — A branching plant 6-12 in. 

 high, native of Ohio. Leaves downy 

 beneath, entfre or rarely toothed, lower 

 ones obovate or spoon-shaped, upper ones 

 narrower and more acute. Flowers in 

 June, purplish-lUac. 



Culture rfc. as above. 



M. littorea. — A native of the 

 Mediterranean region 6-12 in. high, with 

 lance-shaped linear, nearly entire, hoary 

 leaves. Flowers from June to November, 

 bright pink-purple, the large dehcate petals 

 not being veined. Seed pods hoary. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



M. maritima. — This pretty annual is 

 commonly known as the ' Virginian 

 Stock.' It is 6-12 in. high, native of 

 Europe, having erect branching stems, 

 and elliptic, blimt, entire leaves, narrowed 

 at the base. Flowers from spring to 

 autumn, lOac, rose, red or white, fragrant. 



Among the many varieties may be 

 mentioned alha, white ; alha na/na, also 

 white but dwarfer ; and Crimson King 

 or Kermesina, dwarf, deep red. 



The Virginian Stock is very effective 

 in-masses in borders, beds &c. It grows 



readily in almost any part of the garden 

 and bears in great abundance its masses 

 of sweet-scented blossoms. It is exceUeut 

 for bordering beds of taller plants, and 

 masses here and there in the rockery pro- 

 duce a charming picture. 

 Culture Ac. as above. 



ERYSIMUM (Hedge Mustard).— 

 A genus containing, according to various 

 authors, from 70 to nearly 120 species of 

 biennial or perennial, hairy or sometimes 

 hoary-looking herbs. Leaves variable, 

 narrow, heart-shaped, stem-clasping, or 

 pinnately cut, linear or oblong, entire, 

 sinuate toothed, or rarely pinnatifid. 

 Eacemes bractless. Flowers mostly 

 yellow, sometimes purple, and scented. 



Cultwre a/nd Propagation. — Very few 

 species are worthy of cultivation, those 

 described below being among the best 

 and most showy border plants. They are 

 easily raised from seeds sown in spring or 

 autumn in the open border. From the 

 end of March to the end of June sowings 

 of the aimual species may be made at inter- 

 vals of 2 or 3 weeks, so that a long suc- 

 cession of blossom is maintained. The 

 perennial species may not only be raised 

 from seeds in the same way as the annuals 

 but also increased by dividing the roots in 

 autumn. They aU grow freely in ordinary 

 good garden soil in open sunny situations. 

 Grown in large masses they are very 

 effective and telling on the landscape 

 owing to the warmth and brilliancy of 

 colour of their flowers. 



E. alpinum (Chei/ranfhus alpinus). — 

 A Norwegian perennial 6 in. high, having 

 straight simple stems, and lance-shaped 

 distantly toothed leaves, covered with a 

 starry down. Flowers in May, sulphur- 

 yellow, sweet - scented, borne in loose 

 racemes, and reminding one at a distance 

 of some of the yellow Primulas, although 

 the flowers, of course, have only 4 petals 

 instead of 5. 



Culture dc. as above. This pretty 

 plant is best known as a Cheiranthus. 



E. asperum. — A N. American biennial, 

 about 8 in. high, with greyish hairy stems. 

 Leaves linear oblong, lower ones toothed, 

 runcinate, rough, downy. Flowers in July, 

 yellow, the petals having white daws. 



Culture dc. as above. 



E. marschallianum. — A biennial, 

 native of the Caucasus, about 1 ft. high, 

 with lance-shaped toothed leaves narrowed 



