HOEDEUM 



GBASS OBBEB 



MELICA 961 



May or beginning of June the young 

 plants will be ready for the open ground. 

 Very often they flower the first year 

 during the autunm months. When sown 

 in autumn as soon as ripe, it is safer to 

 winter the seedlings in cold frames until 

 the following spring. 



The plumes of Pampas Grass last a 

 long time in a dried state, and for this 

 reason are in great demandfor decorations, 

 either in natural or artificial colours. 

 Thousands of plumes are imported every 

 year to supply the great demand for 

 them. 



G. Lambleyi variegatum is a distinct 

 and beautiful Pampas Grass. It has 

 been well grown by Mr. Gumbleton at 

 Queenstown, Cork. He says it is perfectly 

 hardy in that neighbourhood, and of com- 

 paratively dwarf habit, and also of rather 

 slow growth and tardy development, not 

 attaining its full size for many years. Its 

 flower spikes are about 5 ft. high, with 

 white feathery plumes of a most distinct 

 appearance, and its leaves are prettily 

 variegated with white. 



Culture &c. as above for G. argen- 

 teum. 



HOLCUS (Soft Grass).— The only 

 plant of this genus useful for the garden 

 is H. lamatus alho-variegatus, a beautiful 

 form of a native pereimial Grass with tufts 

 of soft downy leaves having a broad 

 central and narrow green stripes inter- 

 vening with lines of clear silvery white. 

 It grows in ordinary garden soil, and is 

 •useful for edgings. Increased by division 

 of the tufts in autumn or spring. 



HORDEUM.— The best known repre- 

 sentative of this genus is Barley, but the 

 only one of garden value is the Squirrel 

 Tail Grass (S.jubatum), a native of North 

 America. It grows about 2 ft. high, and in 

 the summer months produces long grace- 

 fully arching spikes of flowers remarkable 

 for the long and stiff bristly mane cover- 

 ing them, and forming the most attractive 

 feature of the plant. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species may be used with advantage to 

 form borders in the wilder parts of the 

 garden in windy places, as the waving of 

 the flower spikes shows many shades of 

 colour. Being an annual, H. jubatum 

 must be raised from seeds sown every 

 year, either in spring or autumn in the 

 places where the plants are to bloom. 



The young spikes are useful for bouquets 

 &c. 



LAGURUS ovatus (Hare's Tai 

 Grass). — A charming tufted annual Grass, 

 native of sandy places in Guernsey, and the 

 only one in the genus. It grows 6-10 in. 

 high, with broad leaves and inflated downy 

 or hairy sheaths. The flower spikes are 

 borne in summer in dense hairy or 

 woolly ovoid white heads over 1 in. 

 long and f in. broad, on stoutish downy 

 stems, well above the foliage, and look 

 very attractive. If cut before quite ripe 

 they last a long time in a dried state, and 

 are very useful for winter decorations, 

 either in their natural colour, or dyed. 



Culture and Propagation. — The plants 

 grow in ordinary soil, and are useM for 

 borders, the tufts being effective when in 

 bloom. Seeds may be sown in spring in 

 the open ground, or in autumn in pots, 

 and wintered in a cold frame in the event 

 of severe frosts. 



LAMARCK I A.— This genus also 

 contains only a single species — L. aurea 

 [Chrysurus cynosuroides), a pretty low- 

 stemmed annual Grass from S. Europe and 

 N. A&ica. It grows 6-9 in. high, and is 

 remarkable for its silky drooping spikelets 

 green at first, but afterwards assuming 

 a shining golden colour, which is very 

 attractive. It flourishes in light soil in 

 the border, and may be raised from seeds 

 sown in spring, or in autumn in pots for 

 planting out in spring. 



MELICA altissima. — A vigorous 

 perennial Grass from the Caucasus and 

 Siberia, growing about 3 ft. high, the 

 stems being clothed with spreading, 

 broadly lance-shaped linear leaves, and 

 terminating in a long one-sided panicle 

 of drooping spikelets in Jime and July, 

 It is very ornamental and distinct when 

 in bloom. If cut two or three weeks 

 before folly ripe, the flower sprays last a 

 good time, and are useful for bouquets &c. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species likes a warm light soil, and may 

 be increased by division in autumn or 

 spring. Seeds may also be sown in early 

 spring in pots, and planted out about 

 September. 



M. macra is a species from Monte 

 Video. It is downy in all its parts, and 

 tufted in habit, growing about 18 in. high,, 

 having stifiish needle-like leaves. Its 

 flower spikes are also provided with 



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