498 



PBAGTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS chahieib 



winter, but it is uimeceasary to go to 

 this trouble for the hardy flower border. 



BELLIS (Daisy). — This genus con- 

 tains 3 or 4 species of small herbaceous 

 perennials, with all radical toothed and 

 stallied leaves. Flower heads solitary 

 Involucre bell-ahaped with bracts in 1-2 

 series. Beceptaole conical. Pappus 

 absent. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 cultivated forms of the common Daisy 

 are beautiful and easily grown in moist 

 loamy soils. After flowering they may 

 be increased by dividing the crowns — each 

 one making a separate plant. Division 

 may also take place in spring, or indeed 

 at almost any period of the year when 

 the weather is mild and showery, but the 

 separated portions should be placed 

 rather firmly in rich loamy soil in a some- 

 what shaded position. Seeds may also 

 be sown in March, but the seedlings often 

 come single and are rarely worth multi- 

 plying. The only possible way to obtain 

 a good collection of first class double- 

 flowered Daisies is by means of division. 



B. perennts {Common Dadsy). — The 

 double white, crimson, and striped varie- 

 ties are the best. Pmlc Beauty is a 

 charming pink with flat petals ; Bob Boy, 

 a rich red or crimson -quilled kind ; 

 WMte Globe, with large, white-quilled 

 petals ; Aucubcefolia is a handsome 

 variegated sport with blotched and 

 veined yellow leaves. The Hen and 

 Chicken Daisy is similar in flower and 

 leaf to the other double kinds, but when 

 in bloom smaller flowers are developed all 

 round the larger central one. 



Culture di-. as above. 



B. rotundifolia caerulescens (Blue 

 Dadsy of Morocco). — A beautiful peren- 

 nial native of Morocco, with ovate or 

 roundish, sinuate-toothed leaves on slender 

 stalks 1-3 in. long. Flowers in summer, 

 J-l^ in. across, with flowers like the 

 Common Daisy, the ray-florets varying 

 from white to blue or magenta -purple. 

 This plant requires protection in winter 

 except in southern parts of the country. 



Cull lire lire, as above. 



BELLIUM.— This genus diflfers from 

 the Daisy in having a pappus of 6-8 

 broad scales torn at the apex, and alter- 

 nating with an eijual number of long 

 rough bristles. 



Cultwre a/nd Propagation. — The 

 plants thrive in sandy loam and peat, but 



are apt to exliaust themselves by their 

 free-flowering propensities. They are 

 increased by seeds sown in cold frauiea 

 as soon as ripe ; in hotbeds about March ; 

 or in the open border about the end of 

 April and May. Except in the latter 

 case, when the seedlings may be simply 

 thinned out, they are pricked out into 

 light soil, and by the end of May or 

 beginning of June will be ready for the 

 open border. The plants may also be in- 

 creased by division of the roots in spring 

 or early autumn. They are all suitable 

 for the rookery. 



B. bellidioides. — A pretty Italian 

 annual about 4 in. high, with creeping 

 stems, and spoon- shaped radical leaves. 

 Flowers from .Tune to September, white, 

 solitary. 



Ciiltiirr itr. lis above. 



B. crassifolium. — A Sardinian peren- 

 nial about 6 in. high, witli many ascend- 

 ing stems, and thick rather downy 

 obovate entire leaves, narrowed at the 

 base. Flowers in June, whitish-yellow, 

 on downy scapes longer than the leaves. 



Culture il'-c. as above. 



B. minutum. — A pretty little species 

 about 3 in. high, native of the Levant. 

 Leaves narrowly spoon-shaped, slightly 

 hairy. Flowers from June to September, 

 white and yellow, i in. across, on slender 

 scapes. 



Cult lore d-c. as above. 



CHARIEIS. — A genus having only 

 the following species : — 



C. heterophylla (Kaiilfuaaia am,el- 

 loides). — A beautiful compact-growing 

 hairy annual, about 1 ft. high, native 

 of S. Africa, and far better known in 

 gardens imder the name of Kaiilfusaia. 

 It has oblong lance-shaped entire leaves, 

 opposite below and alternate above. The 

 beautiful flower-heads, with deep blue 

 ray florets surrounding a blue or yellow 

 disc, appear during April and May and 

 stand well above the foliage. 



There are several varieties known, 

 such as alba, atroviolacea, hrrmraiiia, 

 rosea &c., according to the colour of the 

 flower-hoads. 



Culture iind Propagation. — This is 

 a beautiful plant for the rook garden or 

 border, and flourishes in ordinary garden 

 soil in open sunny situations. The seeds 

 may be sown in cold frames when ripe, 

 or in gentle heat about March, to obtnin 



