256 



PBAGTIGAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS lychnis 



flowers, and are very valuable for cutting. 

 The plants may be increased much in the 

 same way as recommended for L. chalce- 

 donica, either by seeds sown in autumn 

 or spring, in cold frames or in the open 

 border according to locality ; or by dividing 

 the plants in early autmnn or spring. 

 Better plants are however, as a rule, ob- 

 tained from seeds. 



L. dioica (i. diurna). — Bachelor's 

 Buttons ; Bed Campion. — A native of 

 damp copses, hedgebanks &c. in the 

 British Islands, and also found in Europe, 

 Siberia &o. Stems softly hairy, rarely 

 quite smooth, clammy above, 1-3 ft. high. 

 Lower leaves 3-6 in. long, obovate, 

 stalked ; upper ones narrower. Flowers 

 from spring to autumn, purple-rose, 

 usually dioecious in wild specimens — that 

 is, the male flowers are on one plant, the 

 females on another ; calyx very hairy, 

 reddish. The double-flowered variety is 

 very attractive. It flowers incessantly 

 and is a fine border plant. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 double-flowered variety being seedless it 

 may be increased by simply dividing the 

 rootstocks in autumn or spring. The 

 single form however may be increased 

 either by seeds or division in the same 

 way as recommended for L. chaleedonica. 



L. Flos-cuculi {Cuckoo Floiver ; 

 Bagged Bobin). — A somewhat rough- 

 stemmed plant 1-2 ft. high, native of 

 moist meadows, copses, cornfields &c., in 

 the British Islands. Lower leaves stalked, 

 oblong lance-shaped, pointed, the upper 

 ones narrow. Flowers in May and June, 

 drooping, rosy, rarely white, petals with 4 

 linear segments ; calyx purpUsh-red, with 

 ten darker ribs. The double -flowered 

 variety (flore pleno) is superior to the 

 type and is more highly valued as a garden 

 plant. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Ragged Robin flourishes in any good and 

 weU-drained garden soil, and prefers 

 rather damp and shaded situations. It 

 is useful for planting under tall trees 

 or near the edges of pieces of water, or in 

 damp shaded parts of the rockery. For 

 cutting purposes the flowers of both the 

 double and single kinds are very useful. 



Seeds of the single variety may be 

 sown either as soon as ripe, or in spring 

 as recommended for L. clialeedonioa, but 

 the plants may also be increased by 

 dividing the roots about the end of Sep- 



tember or in spring. The double-flowered 

 variety can only be increased by division 

 in this way. 



L. Flos-Jovis {Agrostemma Flos- 

 Jovis). — Flower of Iiove. — A Swiss plant 

 12-18 in. high, with wooUy lance-shaped, 

 stem-clasping leaves. Flowers in summer, 

 purple or scarlet, in umbel-like heads. 

 Calyx cylindrical, club-shaped; petals 

 2-lobed. 



Culture and Propagation. — Although 

 a true perennial this species is as a rule 

 better raised from seeds in the same way 

 as L. coronaria. The plants, however, 

 may be also divided in spring or autumn. 

 They like a sandy well-drained loam. 



L. fulgens. — A Siberian perennial 6-12 

 in. high, vdth ovate lance -shaped, hairy 

 leaves. Flowers in spring and summer, 

 bright vermilion, large and handsome ; 

 petals 4-cleft ; outer divisions awl-shaped ; 

 calyx cylindrical, wooUy. 



Culture and Propagation. — This bril- 

 liant species requires to be grown in rich 

 and weU-drained turfy loamy soil, or well- 

 manured garden mould, as it sometimes 

 fails to establish itself if neglected. 

 Seeds are freely produced, and may be 

 sown as soon as ripe in cold frames, after- 

 wards pricking the seedlings out and 

 growing them on in the frames until mild 

 weather in spring, when they may be 

 planted out in the open border. Here 

 they should be grouped in bold masses 

 for effect, each plant being 6-9 in. away 

 from the next. The plants may be in- 

 creased by division about September, or 

 in spring, and also by means of cuttings 

 of the young shoots. The latter are best 

 taken in spring, and inserted in light 

 sandy soil, and placed on a gentle hot- 

 bed until rooted. They are afterwards 

 potted up singly, and when established are 

 hardened off for planting out. 



L. grandiflora. — A Chinese species 8-12 

 in. high. Leaves ovate, almost stalkless, 

 smooth. Flowers fi-om June to August, 

 brick-red or scarlet, about 2 in. across, 

 with spreading lacerated petals, and an 

 inflated calyx. 



Cult lire and Propagation. — This beau- 

 tiful perennial is not quite hardy in all 

 parts of the kingdom, and hence may 

 require some little protection with bracken 

 or dried leaves &c. in the colder and more 

 northern parts in severe winters. It 

 likes a well-drained sandy loam and peat 

 or leaf soil, and a warm, sheltered and 



