168 HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



pretty plants, and should find place in the garden if 

 possible. The best for surface covering is Smilacina 

 bifolia, with shining foliage, fragrant, white flowers, 

 and red berries. All these are readily obtained from 

 the woods. 



The Picaria. 



This genus is closely allied to Ranunculus, indeed 

 by some is combined with it. The flowers of the 

 common species, F. ranunculoides, greatly resemble 

 small buttercups; but they open only in sunshine, 

 and bloom earlier in the spring. The roots are 

 small tubers, from which spring glossy green leaves, 

 followed by the bright flowers in early May. In a 

 few weeks the foliage fades and dies away, and the 

 plant disappears until the next spring. The double 

 variety is a rarer and more showy plant, and the 

 white-flowered variety is seldom found. All are 

 well worth growing, and increase rapidly by multi- 

 plication of the tubers. They only require common 

 garden soil. 



The Ranunculus. 



Of the Buttercups the only one we can recom- 

 mend for a choice collection is the " Pair Maids of 

 France " (i?. aconitifoHus flore plena'). 



It is a delicate plant, with fine-cut foliage and 

 pretty double, white flowers. Although not uncom- 

 mon, it has an ugly way of dying out, and is one of 

 those plants which, unless great care is taken, is 



