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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS astragalus 



C. Chamlagu. — An ornamental shrub 

 readily recognised by its deep glossy green 

 leaves which are composed of 2 pairs of 

 smooth obovate leaflets i-l^ in. long, the 

 outer pail being the larger. The rather 

 large yellow flowers appear in early sum- 

 mer, one to each stalk, and as they begin 

 to fade assume a reddish tint. 



Culture dc. as above. This species is 

 rarely or never seen on its own roots. It 

 is usually grafted on standard stocks of 

 C. arborescens about 4-5 ft. high, and 

 assumes a drooping bushy habit that is 

 very graceful. 



C. frutescens.— A Siberian shrub 2-8 

 ft. high. Leaflets 2 pairs, obovate wedge- 

 shaped, leaf stalk tipped with a short 

 spine. Flowers in April, yeUow, on 

 twisted stalks. The variety angustifolia 

 may be recognised by its narrow wedge- 

 shaped leaflets ending in a point. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. jubata [Ruhinia juhata). — ■ A 

 native of Siberia 1-2 ft. high. Leaflets 

 4r-5 pairs, oblong lance-shaped, fringed 

 with wooUy hairs. Flowers in April, 

 white or tinged with red, on very short 

 stalks. 



Culture and Propagation, — This re- 

 markable species is readily recognised by 

 its woolly bark and bristly stipules. It is 

 not so amenable to cultivation as the other 

 species, and is best grown near a south 

 wall in dry sandy soil. It may be raised 

 from seeds sown in cold frames when ripe, 

 but the young plants should be well 

 hardened off and be of a good sturdy 

 growth before they are transferred to the 

 open ground. It may also be grafted like 

 the other species. 



C. microphylla (0. Altagana). — 

 Native of Dahuria 2-8 ft. high, with long 

 slender graceful branches. Leaflets in 6-8 

 pairs, smooth, obovate roundish, retuse, 

 about ^ in. long. Flowers from AprU to 

 July, yellow, solitary. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. pygmsea. — A graceful shrub about 

 3 ft. high, with long slender branches and 

 a. rather straggling or drooping habit. It 

 exists in a wild state from the Caucasus 

 to the Himalayas. The leaves are very 

 closely arranged on the stems, and each 

 one is composed of 2 pairs of small narrow 

 leaflets about >} in. long. The drooping 

 bright yellow flowers appear in May and 



June, and seeds are in due course also 

 freely produced. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. spinosa. — Native of Siberia 4-6 ft. 

 high. Leaflets 2-4 pairs, wedge-shaped 

 Unear, smooth ; stipules spiny ; old leaf 

 stalks strong, persistent, spiny. Flowers 

 in April and May, yellow, nearly sessile. 



Culture dc. as above. 



CALOPHACA.— A genus with 6 or 7 

 species of woolly or smooth perennial 

 herbs or undershrubs, with characters 

 similar to Caragana. 



C. 'wolg'arica. — A Siberian deciduous 

 shrub 2-3 ft. high, with 6-7 pairs of 

 roundish leaflets, velvety beneath, 

 racemes of yeUow flowers in May and 

 June, followed by beautiful reddish pods. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species is the one visusdly grown .and is 

 useful for the shrubbery. The seeds are 

 produced in abundance in fine seasons, 

 and plants may be raised from them. 

 It is often grafted on tall stems of the 

 Laburnum and looks very effective in 

 bloom. 



ASTRAGALUS (Milk Vetch).— A 

 genus containing more than 600 species 

 of dense, very much branched, often 

 spiny, annual or perennial herbs or tmder- 

 shrubs, most of them useless from a 

 garden point of view. Calyx tubular, 

 5-toothed. Petals often long-clawed; 

 standard erect, ovate oblong, or fiddle- 

 shaped ; stamens 10, upper one free. 

 Pod sessile or stalked. 



Culture and Propagation. — The Milk 

 Vetches grow well in any light dry soil, 

 and may be increased by dividing the roots, 

 by seeds, or in the case of shrubby sorts 

 also by cuttings in a cold frame. The 

 seeds are usually a long time sprouting 

 and are best sown as soon as ripe in pots 

 or pans under glass. The plants may be 

 used for the decoration of the rock garden 

 in the somewhat rougher parts, or massed 

 in rougher parts of the garden in dry soils. 

 Besides the species referred to below there 

 are many others to be met with in botanic 

 gardens. 



A. adsurgens. — A somewhat rare and 

 handsome smoothish Siberian perennial, 

 with 11-12 pairs of ovate lanceolate acute 

 leaflets. Flowers in June, bluish-purple, 

 densely packed on oblong spikes. 



Culture dc, as above. 



