THE ROSE AND ITS CULTURE. 



33a 



the plant growing in water six to eight inches deep. 

 The culture recommended is the same as for S. 

 purpurea. S. flava has erect pitchers of yellowish- 

 green colour ; the hd in a young state arches over 

 the mouth, but it is afterwards erect. It is found 

 from Carolina to Florida. Sarraceniacece. 



Saxifraga. — Several species so love moisture that 

 the most suitable place for them may often be found 

 in the bog garden. S. peltata, for instance, is a 

 magnificent plant, which, on dry soils, never attains 

 fine development. It likes deep moist soil, and will 

 flourish very close to water. S. Hirculus major is a 

 pretty plant which loves moist soil. S. diversifolia 

 is a fine plant belonging to the same group as S. 

 Sirculus, and as it inhabits boggy places, the bog 

 garden affords the conditions it requires. This is a 

 recent introduction ; it has erect stems, about a foot 

 or more in height, ovate or cordate Parnassia-like 

 leaves, and numerous yellow flowers, half an inch or 

 three-fourths of an inch across. This grows splen- 

 didly on the ordinary border in moist climates like 

 that of Dublin. 



Selliera radicans. — A creeping plant, not orna- 

 mental, but extremely curious, on which account it 

 is rather fi-equently cultivated. The stems are 

 closely applied to the ground, rooting at the nodes ; 

 the leaves are erect, spathulate in shape, about four 

 inches long, succulent, and bright green in colour ; 

 the flowers are inconspicuous, the corolla is brownish- 

 white, a third of an inch across, and is split on one 

 side, so that the petals spread in a semi-circle. Ap- 

 parently not quite hardy, so that a reserve must be 

 kept in a frame. Native of the coasts of Australia, 

 New Zealand, and Chili. Flowers in August and 

 September. Goodeniacem. 



Soldanella. — The several species are moisture- 

 loving plants, which rarely do well on ordinary 

 rock-work, but in the bog garden there are always 

 moist spots where they will succeed without trouble. 

 In the Cambridge bog garden they flourish on a 

 moist peat bank. They are all extremely pretty 

 and small-growing, with roundish dark green 

 leaves. 8. alpina has purple flowers, deeply 

 fringed ; those of S. minima are fringed and nearly 

 white; S. montaMa vQ^emhles alpina, the flowers 

 are of a bluer purple and the leaves are larger. 

 Other kinds obtainable are "S". crispa and S. piisilla 

 {Clusii). Natives of Alpine Europe. 



Spircea. — Several species are splendid for the 

 adornment of the bog garden, and flourish amazingly 

 in the copious moisture or wet which is there 

 afforded. The very fine S. pahnata is best suited 

 here, in rich soil, constantly moist. S. Arunms is 

 beautiful in flower and habit, and somewhat like it 

 is <S. astilboides, to which attention has lately been 

 drawn, though it is not new. S. lohata, with rosy- 



carmine flowers, is one of the most beautiful of the 

 herbaceous kinds. Our native species, S. Filipendula 

 and S. Ulmaria, must not be forgotten, as they are 

 very beautiful, and there are fine double varieties of 

 both. There should be a damp border in the bog 

 garden where these can be cultivated. 



Swertia perennis. — A curious plant for a moist 

 peaty spot. It is tufted, with oblong leaves and 

 erect stems, one or two feet high, bearing greyish- 

 purple flowers spotted with black. S. speciosa, 

 introduced a few years ago, is perhaps finer. 

 Propagated by seeds or division. The first ia 

 European, the latter Himalayan. We have lately 

 received S. muUicanlis. Gentianacece. 



Symplocarpus foetidus (Skunk Cabbage). — Orna- 

 mental in foliage, but without attractiveness in 

 flower, except that the fleshy hood which encloses 

 the spike is cui'iously marbled with bronzy-brown^ 

 violet, and green, and is beautiful when closely 

 observed. The leaves are large, ovate or cordate, 

 and give the plant somewhat the appearance of 

 Lilium gigantenm. It requires a moist position. Is 

 employed medicinally in North America. It is a 

 native also of Northern Asia. Aroidece. 



THE EOSE AND ITS CULTURE. 



By D. T. Fish. 



DISEASES AND INSECTS AFFECTING TKE ROSE. 



UNFORTUNATELY disease, and even insect- 

 pests, Tim abreast with the improvement and 

 more extended culture of the Rose. The better and 

 finer the strain the weaker, has almost passed into 

 a proverb ; for often what the Rose gains in quality 

 it loses in vigour of constitution, and its consequent 

 power of resisting insect pests and diseases. Weakly 

 Roses go to the wall and so become the prey 

 of disease and of insects ; while the stronger escape 

 both. Hence, one of the surest means of keeping 

 Roses in good health is to choose those Roses only, 

 or chiefly^ that do well in any given locality, and 

 adhere chiefly^ to such ; for Roses have their favourite 

 bowers, gardens, localities, counties, and some of 

 them refuse to thrive much beyond these very^ local 

 geographical boundaries. For example, two of the 

 finest Roses, A. K. Williams and Reynolds Hole, 

 have never grown into creditable size at Hardwicke, 

 whereas in other sites and situations they grow like 

 weeds ; and it is so in degree with not a few other 

 fine Roses. 



Hence, the first step before planting a Rosary 

 should be to take a general surveys of the condition 

 of the Roses in the immediate neighbourhood, noting 

 all that thrive best in several different gardens, and 



