CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



It is generally rather tender, but thrives very freely 

 in mild districts in light, sandy loam, or vegetable 

 soil ; in warmer countries it thrives on walls, and 

 in stony or gravelly places. It is readily increased 

 by division of the roots. 



Physalis Alkekengi {Winter Cherry) . — This is 

 a perennial herbaceous plant, a native of Southern 

 Europe ; frequently found in gardens ; producing 

 round red berries, like Cherries, having an acidulous, 

 slightly bitter, and not unpleasant flavour. It 

 produces, in summer, dull white solitary flowers on 

 slender stalks ; it is a true perennial, and when once 

 established on a warm position in light, sandy soil, 

 will grow and fruit freely. It has an ornamental 

 value in autumn and winter, when the berries are 

 numerous and well-coloured. 



Plumbago (Leadwort). — This genus derives its 

 name from plumbum, 11 lead," or a disease of the eye so 

 called, to which a species of Plumbago was applied. 

 It is not a large genus, but comprises green-house 

 and stove evergreen plants, and one or two hardy 

 herbaceous types. With one of these only have we 

 to deal — viz., P. Zarpentce (Lady Larpent's Plum- 

 bago), introduced from China in 1845. The late Sir 

 "William Hooker declared that it ought to be known 

 as Valoradia plumbaginoides. It is a dwarf-growing 

 herbaceous plant, originally cultivated in stoves and 

 green-houses, but since found to be perfectly hardy, 

 and a first-rate ornament for rock work, banks, or 

 sunny borders. " Its numerous wiry stems, covered 

 regularly from top to bottom with light green leaves 

 nearly two inches long, and margined with hairs, are 

 half prostrate, but being very profuse, form neat and 

 full tufts from six to ten inches high, according to 

 soil and position. In September these become nearly 

 covered with flowers arranged in close trusses at the 

 end of shoots, and of a fine cobalt-blue, afterwards 

 changing to violet, the calyces being of a reddish- 

 violet. The bloom usually lasts till the frosts" 

 (Robinson's "Alpine Flowers"). We have seen 

 this plant do well on a raised bed in front of a 

 green-house. It will sometimes do well in very cold 

 soils, but it is in all cases desirable to give it a warm 

 sandy loam, or other light soil, and a sunny warm 

 position, as under these conditions the show of bloom 

 is much finer. It is very easily increased by division 

 of the root during winter or early spring. 



Polygala (Milkwort). — The generic name is 

 derived from the Greek poly, " much " ; and -gala, 

 " milk " ; the ancients considered it promoted the 

 secretion. Its English name, Milkwort, refers to the 

 same quality which suggested the generic name. The 

 genus includes a few hardy annual and perennial 



plants, and a number of green-house evergreens. 

 Our object is to introduce to notice a few desirable 

 types among those in the hardy herbaceous section. 



The common Milkwort, P. vulgaris, is a perennial 

 common in gravelly and heathy pastures, flowering 

 in June and July. It is one of the milky plants 

 supposed by the ancients to increase and accumulate 

 milk in nurses. 



P. calcarea, a British species, is found in Kent, 

 Surrey, Gloucester, Berks, &c, generally on chalky 

 debris, very pretty, usually with blue, but sometimes 

 with pink or whitish flowers, about a quarter of an 

 inch long, in compact racemes. Plants taken from 

 their native positions, where they seed and produce 

 freely, very soon establish themselves in ordinary 

 garden soil. P. Chamcebuxus is the Box-leaved 

 Milkwort, a valuable little creeping shrub, a native 

 of the Alps of Austria and Switzerland, where it 

 often forms but very small plants ; in our gardens, 

 however, on peaty soil, and in some fine sandy 

 loams it spreads out into compact tufts covered with 

 cream-coloured and yellow flowers, afterwards 

 changing to a bay colour in the lower division. 

 It is stated that this plant was cultivated two 

 hundred years ago at Oxford, but it is now compara- 

 tively rare in our gardens. It is a moisture- loving 

 plant, and does well for association with dwarf 

 Alpine shrubs on rockwork. It is a native of the 

 Alps of Austria and Switzerland. It can be readily 

 increased by division of established tufts. There is 

 a fine variety of this named purpurea, which has 

 magenta-purple blossoms, while those of the species 

 are pale lemon or bright yellow, but in each case 

 deliciously fragrant. 



Pulmonaria (Lungwort). — The generic name is 

 derived from pulmonarius, " diseased lungs," refer- 

 ring to its supposed efficacy in those diseases. It 

 is also known as the Virginian Cowslip, Cowslip of 

 Jerusalem, &c. All the Pulmonarias are hardy 

 herbaceous perennials, propagated by dividing the 

 roots, and they do well in any garden soil 

 that will grow common plants. P. officinalis is 

 a somewhat rare British plant, but often grown 

 in gardens; the leaves are abundantly marked 

 on the upper surface with white blotches ; the 

 flowers are at first rose, and then blue, on stems 

 abundantly produced in spring. P. arverensis is a 

 new form from the Central French Alps, and so 

 distinct in appearance that it is regarded as a 

 species ; the leaves are deep green, slightly mottled ; 

 and the flowers are of an intense deep blue; it is 

 found to do well in good garden loam. P. angusti- 

 folia, the Narrow-leaved Lungwort, is by some 

 botanists united with P. officinalis, and there is a 

 white and a spotless variety in cultivation. P. azurea 



