358 



THE GAEDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Epi medium. — Valuable alike for their foliage and 

 flowers, especially E. rubrurn, the leaves of which stay on 

 all winter, and become a beautiful bronzy -red colour. The 

 leaflets are heart-shaped, on thin twiggy stems. They 

 thrive in a compost of peat or leaf soil, and should have 

 a sheltered corner. Propagated by division or seeds. 



E. macranthum. Purple, 1 foot. Japan. 



E. pinnatum. Sulphur-yellow, 1 foot. Persia. 



E. rubrum. Red, 1 foot. Japan. 



Eranthis (Winter Aconite). — Most valued of early 

 spring flowers, appearing almost in the winter season. 

 Their yellow flowers are most charming beneath deciduous 

 shrubs or trees, or at the edges of the permanent shrub- 

 bery, and also in the rock garden. The difference 

 between the two species is in the larger size of E. cili- 

 cicus and the brown tint of the involucre when young, 

 and also in its being more deeply incised. 



E. cilicicus. Yellow, brownish involucre, 3 inches. Asia Minor. 



E. hyemalis. Yellow, 3 inches. Europe (Britain). 



Eremurus. — Stately plants of the Lily order, hardy 

 only in sheltered gardens. The roots are long and fleshy, 

 their leaves in rosettes, Hyacinth-like, about 2 feet long, 

 and the stout, erect, tall scapes bear spicate racemes of 

 beautiful white, pale-mauve, pink, or yellow flowers, the 

 inflorescence reaching a height of from 6 to 10 feet in 

 some species. Their chief enemy is damp, especially 

 during the winter and early spring, and if wet is allowed 

 to lodge in the crowns it is liable to spoil the appearance 

 of the spike for the whole season. In winter the driest 

 and most sheltered position should be given them, and in 

 early spring, as growth commences, they should be pro- 

 tected from frost by placing hand-lights over them, or 

 some dry pine-needles. During summer they require a 

 sunny position. A rich, deep, free soil is the best for 

 them, and where the soil is rather poor an annual dress- 

 ing of manure should be applied. They dislike root 

 disturbance. Propagation by seeds sown as soon as ripe, 

 the young seedlings being planted in frames until three 

 years old, and then planted where they are to Mower. 

 The handsomest species are . 



E. aurantiacus. Pale-yellow, 3 feet. Afghanistan. 



E. Bungei. Bright-yellow, 1 to 3 feet. Persia. 



E. elwesianus. Pale-flesh, 5 feet. Central Asia. 



E. himalaicus. White, 3 to 5 feet. Himalaya and Turkestan. 



E. Olgae. Lilac-white, 2 to 4 feet. Turkestan. 



E. robust us. Pale-pink, to 10 feet. Central Asia. 



E. turke8tanicu8. Red-margined white, 4 feet. Turkestan. 



Erigeron. — Easily-grown Aster-like plants, differing 

 from that genus only in having the ray-florets in several 

 series. Some of the low-growing species are suitable for 

 the rockery, the tall-growing ones being better adapted 

 for beds or borders. They are most effective when 

 planted in a mass. A bed of E. speciosum superbwm is 

 a beautiful summer picture, lasting in flower throughout 

 the latter end of summer and autumn. Propagated by 

 division or seeds. 



E. aurantiacus. Bright-orange, 9 inches. Turkestan. 



E. compositus. Blue, 3 inches. North America. 



E. glabellas. Lilac, li foot. North America 



E. glaucus. Lavender-blue, 1 foot. North-west America. 



E. Howellii. Lilac, 1 foot. North-west America. 



E. j'hiladelphicus. Rosy-pink, 1 foot. North America. 



E. speciosus. Blue, 2| feet. North-west America. 



Erodium. — Pretty Geranium - like plants, most of 

 them suitable for the rockery. The foliage is silvery 

 in some species, and fern-like, making the plants attrac- 

 tive even without their flowers. A well-drained, warm 

 position suits them, most of them being natives of 

 Southern Europe. Their thick root-stocks are liable to 



rot if there is too much moisture present. Propagation 

 by seeds or cuttings taken in August. 



E. chamatdryoides. White, evergreen, 2 inches. Balearic Isles. 



E. macradenum. White, 6 inches. Pyrenees. 



E. ManescavL Purplish-red flowers. Pyrenees. 



E. supracanum. Pinkish-white, 4 inches. Spain. 



E. trichomanefolium. White and purple, 6 inches. Syria. 



Eryngium (Sea Holly ) . — Ornamental hardy herbaceous 

 perennials, very effective in borders on account of their 

 unique habit and colour. The steel-blue tint of the stems 

 and spiny leaves of some of the species is very attractive, 

 especially in late summer and autumn. E. pandanifolium 

 is a noble plant for sunny positions in the warmer parts 

 of the country. They delight in a light sandy soil and 



Fig. 435.— Eryngium pandanifolium. 



plenty of sunshine. The surest and best method of 

 increasing them is by seeds, but division is sometimes 

 practised. 



E. alpinum. Lavender-blue, 2 to 3 feet. Europe. 



E. amethystinurn. Deep-blue, 2 to 3 feet. Europe. 



E. Bourgati. Small, blue heads, 1 foot. Spain, &c. 



E. giganteum. Glistening-white, 3 to 4 feet. Armenia. 



E. Oliverianum. Amethyst-blue, 3 feet. Orient. 



E. pandanifolium (fig. 435). Small, yellow, 5 to 9 feet. Brazil. 



Erythraea. — Charming little plants, related to the 

 Gentians. Ordinary soil suits them, with the addition 

 of a little chalk, and a well-drained position in the 

 rockery. E. diffusa, native of Western Europe, is a pretty 

 perennial, with shining, fleshy leaves and deep rose-coloured 

 flowers about 3 inches in height. Increased by seeds. 



Erythronium (Dog's-tooth Violet). — So called from 

 the shape of the bulb, which resembles a dog's tooth. 

 They grow naturally in moist woods, and therefore the 

 treatment which suits them best in gardens is a sandy 

 peat or loam, in a shady moist position. The beauti- 

 fully mottled leaves of some of the species alone should 

 make them more grown than they are. 



E. Dens-canis. Deep pink to white, 6 inches. Europe. 



E. grandiflorum. Creamy-yellow, 9 inches. North-west America. 



E. Hendersoni. Lilac, deep-purple eye, 9 inches. Oregon. 



E. Hoivelli. Pale-purple, deep eye, 6 inches. Oregon. 



