330 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS 



be perfectly hardy out of doors, at least in 

 the neighbourhood of London. 



SPARTIUM (Rush or Spanish 

 Broom). — This genus consists of only 

 one species described below and including 

 the generic characters. 



S. junceum {S. acuUfoKuvi; Genista 

 juncea ; Spa/rticmthua jimceus). — A 

 well-known beautiful shrub fi-10 ft. high, 

 native of Mediterranean countries. 

 Branches slender, twiggy, round, and 

 usually without leaves or stipules. 

 Flowers from June to August, large, 

 bright yellow, in erect clusters, and great 

 profusion. Calyx somewhat spathe-like. 

 Standard petal large, round ; wings 

 obovate ; keel incurved, pointed, longer 

 than the wings. Stamens 10, united in 

 one bundle. Pod elongate, linear, smooth, 

 flat. There is a double-flowered form 

 called ^ore p^eno. 



Culture and Prox)agation. — The 

 Spanish Broom wiU grow well in any poor 

 dry soU in exposed situations, and is use- 

 ful for borders, shrubberies, or sunny 

 banks. Several fine specimens may be 

 seen on the banks of the Great Western 

 Railway between Slough and Maiden- 

 head. Plants are easily raised from 

 seeds, which ripen in quantity. The seed- 

 pods are best picked just before they begm 

 to open, and if placed in shallow trays in 

 a warm sunny place will soon ripen fully. 

 The seeds may then be sown in the open 

 border, but as a rule the seedlings will 

 not appear until the following spring. 

 They may then be transplanted in mild 

 showery weather, when large enough, and 

 if judiciously placed will form very strik- 

 ing features in the garden. Besides seeds, 

 plants may be raised from cuttings. 

 Shoots of the more or less ripened and 

 flowerless stems may be inserted in sandy 

 soil under a handlight in late summer or 

 axitumn and will be well rooted by the 

 following spring. 



In spring, before growth comniences, 

 old straggling plants may be cut down 

 quite low. This will induce new and 

 strong young growths to spring up from 

 the base, and thus refurnish the plant and 

 give it a better shape and appearance. 



ULEX (Furze ; Gorse ; Whin). — A 

 genus containing about a dozen species of 

 sharply spiny shrubs, the leaves of which 

 are reduced to spiny stalks or small 

 scales. Stipules none. Flowers yellow, 

 solitary or in short axillary racemes. 



Calyx membranous, coloured, 2-parted. 

 Petals shortly clawed, nearly equal ; 

 standard ovate ; wings and keel oblong, 

 blunt. Stamens 10, united in one bundle. 

 Pod ovate, oblong, and shortly linear, 

 compressed or swollen. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 beauty of the Furze when in bloom is 

 very well known. For covering banks, 

 knolls, mounds &c. it is very useful, and 

 requires no cultural skill. It is best to 

 use young plants, as old ones are awkward 

 to handle, and besides do not transplant 

 well. Seeds germinate freely m spring, 

 after having been sown as soon as ripe in 

 autumn, but the special varieties may also 

 be mcreased by cuttings of the ripened or 

 half-ripened shoots placed under a hand- 

 light in late smniner or autmnn. 



U. europaeus. — This is the well-known 

 Gorse, Whin, or Furze, seen in such 

 abundance on British commons, banks, 

 &c. It grows 2-3 ft. high, and has the 

 spines sometimes furnished with minute 

 1-foliolate hairy leaves. Flowers in 

 February and March, yellow, J in. long, 

 odorous, with black hairs on the calyx. 

 Flore-pleno is a beautiful double-flowered 

 variety, almost hidmg the branches .with 

 its wealth of bloom. Strictus (known as 

 the Irish Furze) has stiffish erect branches. 

 In Ireland the young shoots of Fiu'ze are 

 often chopped up fine and given to horses. 



Culture d-c. as above. 



U. nanus (Cat Wliin; Tarn Furze). — 

 Also a native of the British Islands 1-3 ft. 

 high, with droopmg branches, and spines 

 -J-I5 in. long. Flowers from July to 

 November, i in. long, followed by pods 

 which persist till the following year. The 

 variety Galli has ascending branches, and 

 stiff spines longer than those of nanus 

 proper. 



Culture d-c. as above. 



CYTISUS (Broom).— A genus with 

 less than 40 species of shrubs, rarely 

 spiny. Leaves 1-3-foliolate, or absent. 

 Flowers yellow, purple, or white. Calyx 

 more or less 2-lipped. Standard petals 

 almost round, or ovate ; wings obovate, 

 or oblong; keel straight or incurved, 

 obtuse or scarcely pointed. Stamens 10, 

 miited. Pod flat, compressed, oblong or 

 linear, smooth or hairy. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 hardy Cytisus are ornamental shrubs, and 

 grow well in ordinary garden soil, being 

 useful in groups, borders, or shrubberies. 



