COMMON GARDEN FLOWERS. 



345 



(also known as P. carneum), in its original form, 

 oame to us from the Caucasus many years ago. 

 Originally the flowers were single in character, and 

 being found to produce seeds, new varieties were 

 obtained in this way. A quarter of a century or so 

 ago, M. Themisterri, of Belgium, obtained a large 

 variety of a distinct shade of rose-colour, showing a 

 tendency to produce su]3erfluous florets. This was 

 sent to the late Mr. John Salter, of the Versailles 

 Nursery at Hammersmith, and under the careful 

 cultivation he gave it,, this, and other forms produced 

 from it, gradually filled up the centre disc with 

 quilled florets, until in course of time perfectly 

 double flowers were developed. The first really 

 double flower put into commerce was one named 

 roseum album, having several rows of external florets 

 of a lively violet-rose, with a centre of white quills. 

 This found its way to the Continent, was used by 

 the Continental florists for seed purposes, and from 

 it were obtained other double varieties of an improved 

 and valuable character. One of the most prominent 

 present-day raisers of the Pyrethrum is Mr. Kelway, 

 of Langport. He has a very large and varied col- 

 lection of single and double varieties, accessions to 

 which are made every year in the shape of seedlings. 

 The Langport collection consists of about three hun- 

 ■ h-ed varieties, and several thousand seedlings are 

 bloomed each year. 



The Pyrethrum will stand the severest winter un- 

 harmed ; it is perfectly hardy, and generally of a 

 vigorous habit of grov/th. In order that there should 

 be a good free growth and heads of fine flowers, the 

 plants should be in a good deep sandy loam, well 

 enriched by the addition of some thoroughly decom- 

 posed manure. The plants should be at least 

 eighteen inches apart, and it is a good plan to fork 

 in some manure in auturnn, giving a surface dressing 

 of the same also in spring. The plants are exposed 

 to one great source of danger, namely, through slugs 

 harbouring in the roots, and eating the crowns of the 

 l)lants away. It is therefore customary with those 

 who grow them largely to go over the plants in 

 autumn, clearing away any decayed foliage, and then 

 placing a layer of silver sand about the crowns : the 

 slugs do not like it, and so are kept at bay. The 

 best position in which to grow Pyrethrums is in a 

 heavy loam resting on a bed of gravel. 



The Pyrethrum is propagated by means of division 

 of the roots, when the plants have done flowering: 

 and any side shoots that have not formed roots can 

 be made into cuttings. The cuttings can be pricked 

 off into pots of light sandy soil, and placed in a cold 

 frame, and shaded from the sun when it shines out 

 warmly. The divided pieces can be put into a pre- 

 pared bed in a cold frame, or planted out on a shady 

 border and covered with hand-glasses, and in due 



time they will grow into nice plants. But slugs and 

 snails will prove very injurious if not closely looked 

 after. As soon as the divided pieces are strong 

 enough, they should be planted out in beds in a 

 fitting soil of the character above mentioned. 



Pyrethrums can also be raised from seed. For- 

 merly we were dependent upon the Continental 

 fiorists for seed, but of late years, owing to the more 

 extended culture of the varieties in this country, 

 seeds have been more freely saved. The seed should 

 be sown in pans, pots, or boxes of fine soil, and 

 placed in a cold frame until it has germinated ; then 

 hardened off, planted out in a bed in the open 

 ground, and grown on strongly to flower fifteen 

 months afterwards. It is found that seed from 

 double varieties invariably produces double flowers ; 

 and seed from single varieties, single flowers. 



Selection of Double Pyrethrums. 



Ampliitrite, rosy-carmine. 

 Captain Nares, crimson. 

 Chamois, cliamois. 

 Delicatissimum,briglit rosy- 

 lilac. 



Emile Lemoine, rosy-lilac. 



Fulgens plenissimum, car- 

 mine, tipped white. 



Galopin, crimson - edged 

 white. 



Gloire d'ltalie, rosy-red. 



Haage et Schmidt, deep rose 

 and white, 



Hermann Stetiger, rosy -lilac 



Imhricatum plenum, crim- 

 son. 



Itxirbide, purplish-crimson. 

 Iveryaua, bright rose. 

 J. ISI. Tweedy, maroon. 

 Lady Derby, silvery-flesh. 



Marquis of Bute, rosy-pink 

 and yellow. 



Melton, crimson-magenta. 



Mons. Barrel, purplish- 

 crimson. 



Nancy, blush- wLite. 



Nemesis, red and orange. 



Niveum plenum, pure white. 



PJacida, peach. 



Prince Teck,bright crimson. 



Eembrandt-, • osy-purple. 



Rose Perfection, lilac. 



Eoseum album, rosy-purple 

 and white. 



Sulphureum plenum, blush- 

 white and yellow. 



Sylphide, pure white. 



Uzziel, deep rosy-crimson. 



Wilhelm Kramper, deep 

 rose, tipped white. 



Selection of Single Pyrethrums. 



Albatos, deep pink. 

 Bellona, rich carmine. 

 Caprius, rich purple. 

 Carbo, rosy-carmine. 

 Damia, dark purple. 

 Ethel, white and rose. 

 Hamlet, rich pink. 

 Juliet, white and i)ink. 

 Letus, white. 

 Melou, rich pink. 



Nabis, maroon. 

 Nestor, pink. 

 Octavia, rosy-pink. 

 Ophis, dark purple. 

 Paccus, rich rose. 

 Roseum, soft pink. 

 Sherlock, crimson-scavlet. 

 Valentia, pale pink. 

 Vistula, flesh. 

 Zeithen, white and pink. 



The Dropwort, or Meadow-sweet [Sinrcea). 

 — The true Dropwort is Spircea Filipendula, and, ac- 

 cording to Turner, it has received its common name 

 on account of its small tuberous roots hanging like 

 drops by slender threads. Spircea is from speira, 

 anything wreathed. The flowering branches are 

 used in garlands. 



Spircea Filipendula is very common in meadows 

 throughout Europe, in fact it is a rather common 

 native herb, flowering in summer, yellowish- white. 

 There is a form of this that finds a place in gardens ; 

 it bears numerous corymbs of double white flowers, 

 which, as in the case of the single form, have a slight 

 creamy tinge ; the foliage is elegant and Fern-Hke. 

 It does well in ordinary garden soil. 



