The Stock. 69 



which should be kept constantly moist, but well drained, as 

 they are not fond of stagnant water. When growing, they may 

 either have the tops of their shoots cut off frequently, so as to 

 render the plant bushy, or the long slender stems, instead of 

 being allowed to twine, may be laid over the bed and fastened 

 down at the joints. 



MATHIOLA— THE STOCK. 



Natural Order, Cruciferae. Linusean Class, Tetradynamia. Order, Sili- 

 quosa. Generic Distinctions : — silique, roundish ; stigmas conniveut, 

 thickened or cornute at the back ; calyx, bisaccate at the base. 



M. annua. Stem erect, branched ; leaves lanceolate, blunt, hoary. Pods 

 somewhat cylindrical, without glands. (PL 14.) 



Few plants are better known than the species and varie- 

 ties included under the general name of Stocks and Stoek-gilli- 

 flowers. The genus is named from Peter Andrew Mathioli, 

 an Italian botanist, first physician to Ferdinand of Austria, and 

 author of a commentary upon Dioscorides. The plants be- 

 longing to it are generally covered with a white, soft down, 

 and are among the most popular of garden flowers, particu- 

 larly the species represented in the engraving. Of this there 

 are an immense number of varieties, both single and double. 

 Some of the single ones are white, some purple, some crimson, 

 some spotted, and some striped. Our figure represents one of 

 the most curious and beautiful of the double varieties, of the 

 kind called the German Stock. The following description of 

 this plant, and directions for its culture, are given by Mrs. Lou- 

 don, to whom florists are greatly indebted for her series of fine 

 and correct works, some of which are of great value, not only 

 to the practical gardener, but to the student of botany. 



" This is a plant growing from one to two feet high, with an 

 erect branching stem, hoary leaves, and long spikes of flowers, 

 the size and richness of color of which differ greatly in the seve- 

 ral varieties, some of them being very splendid. The species 

 is a native of the south of Europe, by the sea shore, whence it 



