ANTIBKHINUM 



FOXGLOVE OBDEB 



PHYGELIUS 711 



times mentioned plants can be obtained 

 in bloom at different periods — from spring 

 tiU the end of autumn. 



"When it is desired to increase certain 

 choice varieties the safest plan is to take 

 cuttings of the short plump flowerless 

 shoots in September, and insert them in 

 sandy soil in a cold frame or under a 

 hancQight, when they will soon root and 

 be fit to stand the winter well. Cuttings 

 of the young growths may also be rooted 

 in gentle heat in spring, and planted out 

 in May or June. 



Besides their value as border plants, 

 Snapdragons of late years have been 

 grown extensively in pots, and look 

 remarkably fine. The dwarfest varieties 

 are the most suitable for this purpose, 

 and many of the pure self- or uniformly 

 coloured varieties are charming. 



A. Asarina. — A greyish clammy S. 

 European herb with trailing stems rising 

 up at the ends 3-4 in. high, and having 

 opposite long-stalked heart-shaped, cre- 

 nate, 5-lobed leaves. Flowers in summer, 

 pale yellow or white, li in. long, some- 

 times tinged with red. Calyx segments 

 hairy. 



Culture So. as above. Eequires sunny 

 sheltered parts.of the rock garden in warm 

 weU-drained sandy loam. 



A. majus {Common Snapdragon). — A 

 beautiful British and European perennial 

 6-24 in. high, with oblong lance-shaped 

 or linear leaves 1-3 in. long. Flowers 

 from July to September in dense racemes, 

 I3 in. long, variously coloured — purple, 

 white, yellow, or crimson being the pre- 

 vailing tints, with a yellow ' palate.' 



The garden varieties of Snapdragon 

 are innumerable, but they are roughly 

 classed into three main groups, according 

 to their height, viz. :— tall, medium, and 

 dwarf or ' Tom Thumb ' varieties. There 

 are well-marked forms in each group, but 

 many others which serve as connecting 

 links between one and the other, and the 

 division therefore is purely arbitrary. 

 When ordering seeds, however, it is well 

 to say which section is req^uired. The 

 colours in each group vary from the 

 purest white to the deepest maroon and 

 brightest yellow, and there are also many 

 fine striped and variegated forms. A 

 packet of ruixed seed from each group 

 will give an endless variety for ordinary 

 garden purposes. The Tom Thumb forms 

 are useftd for edges to borders and may 



rank for this purpose with the dwarf 

 shrubby Calceolarias, Ageratums, Violas 

 &c., while the medium and taller varieties 

 make handsome groups by themselves — 

 especially if the colours are not mixed. 



An interesting fact connected with 

 Snapdragons is that the colour of the 

 stems indicates in a measure what the 

 colour of the flowers is likely to be. Thus 

 plants with pale or bright green stems and 

 leaves indicate white or pale yeUowflowers, 

 while on the contrary those with dark 

 green stems more or less heavUy tinged 

 with red or purple usually produce 

 flowers having crimson, scarlet, purple, 

 and similar shades of colour. This pecu- 

 liarity is also noticeable in Phloxes and 

 Pentstemons. 



Other kinds of Snapdragon are inolle, 

 with whitish flowers and a yellow centre ; 

 Orontium, a rose or white British variety 

 found in cornfields &c. ; siculum, white 

 or yellow ; rupestre, rosy - Klac ; and 

 tortuosum, which has very large purple 

 flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



PHYGELIUS (Cape Figwoet). — A 

 small genus (only 2 species have been 

 described) of very smooth erect shrubs, 

 with opposite, stalked, crenulate leaves, 

 gradually passing upwards into alternate 

 bracts. Calyx 5-parted. Corolla tube 

 elongated, incurved or nearly straight, 

 limb more or less oblique, with 5 rounded 

 nearly equal, spreading lobes. Stamens 

 4, didynamous, protruding and bent 

 downwards. 



P. capensis. — A beautiful showy S. 

 African perennial 3-4 ft. high, with angu- 

 lar or slightly winged purplish stems, 

 and opposite stalked, ovate lance-shaped 

 crenate-toothed leaves, 3-4 in. long, deep 

 dark shining green above, and very pale 

 or greyish beneath. Flowers from June 

 tUl October, scarlet, tubular, drooping, in 

 forked cymes, about 1^ in. long, with an 

 oblique mouth and protruding stamens 

 and stigma. 



Culture and Propagation. — This is 

 the only species grown at present. 

 It flourishes in rich loamy soil, and in 

 northern parts of the ooimtry should be 

 planted in warm sheltered spots near 

 walls or hedges, although in the south 

 such precautions are unnecessary. It 

 may be increased from seeds (which are 

 freely produced) sown in a hotbed in 

 spring and transplanted in May. In early 



