KANUXCULUS. 



265 



at any desired time ; and, as the cool greenhouse is the 

 proper place for growing them, in our climate, a succes- 

 sion of bloom can be constantly kept up. In the green- 

 house, the bulbs may be planted in pots, pans or boxes ; 

 three tubers will be sufficient for a six inch pot. The 

 flowers are very showy and pleasing ; colors from pure 

 white to dark crimson and yellow, with every variety of 

 variegation. Ranunculus is the Latin name for little 

 frog, applied by Pliny to these plants, the aquatic spe- 

 cies growing where frogs abound. 



As we have said in the American Agriculturist: 

 Very few races of plants have a wider geographical range, 

 or a greater diversity of character than the Eanunculus. 

 The genus contains species of rare beauty, and a few 

 troublesome weeds. Some are inhabitants of swamps, 

 and others thrive in dry, waste places. The common 

 buttercup, R. hulbosus, is a weed in our marshy mead- 

 ows, but it is as welcome as spring to the botanist, or 

 the lover of early flowers. It gives so much warmth 

 and life to the landscape that, troublesome as it is, the 

 meadow would seem unnatural without it. The Eanun- 

 culus of gardens is R. asiaticus, commonly known as 

 the Persian Ranunculus, although it was first introduced 

 from the Levant in 1596. Like many other florists' 

 flowers, the species has expanded to many varieties pro- 

 duced through the agency of cross-fertilization. One 

 hundred years ago it was one of the most popular plants 

 under cultivation, eight hundred distinct varieties being 

 grown. It is still exceedingly popular in Europe, where 

 it can be easily grown, a bed keeping in bloom for fully 

 two months. The flowers are of various shades, and 

 with an intensity of color only to be found in the poppy. 

 There is no class of plants more free-flowering. A good 

 strong tuber will throw up as many as thirty flowers. 

 Its name is from rana, a frog, because the plants usually 

 inhabit the same places. For that reason, beautiful as 



