HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 167 



than in flower. The root is woody ; the flowers, or 

 rather floral involucre, greenish- white ; the berries 

 brilliant scarlet, and very showy. This plant does 

 well in any good, rich soil, and flowers freely ; but 

 with us fails to set its berries, for which, as yet, we 

 have not been able to discover a reason. It is worth 

 growing, however, for the flowers alone. 

 Easily obtained from the woods. 



The Convallaria. 



The Lily of the Valley (C. majalis') is too well 

 known to require description, and we need use no 

 argument to find a place for it in the flower garden. 

 It is in place everywhere, in beds by itself, rambling 

 through the grass, or carpeting the ground under 

 trees. For delicacy, beauty, and fragrance, it has no 

 superior. In a Ehododendron-bed there is danger 

 of its growing too luxuriantly and injuring the other 

 plants, but if kept within bounds it may be used 

 with good effect. When it sets its scarlet berries it 

 is very showy. 



The varieties with double, flowers, and with single 

 and double rose-colored flowers, are only desirable 

 in a collection : in the latter the color is a dirty 

 pink, and not attractive ; all are, however, very 

 fragrant. 



The variegated-leaved kinds, especially that with 

 golden-striped foliage, are very handsome, but are 

 not common. They are well worth growing, as the 

 variegation is handsome and permanent. 



The Solomon's Seal {Polygonatwni), and (Smilcir 

 cina), and the Bellworts (^Uvularia) are all very 



