45 



of air and exposure, but by some light cover- 

 ing, stretched on a framework to be lifted on 

 and off" and used only in sharp weather. There 

 is a good deal of difference in the relative hardi- 

 ness of the species, and still more in their dura- 

 tion, some kinds growing well and improving 

 each season during many years, while others, 

 even when not damaged by frost, need renewal 

 after a short term of life. In the south of France 

 the Cistus is often attacked by a peculiar root- 

 parasite, the Cistus-rape, a quaint leafless plant 

 like a fungus in growth and appearance, and 

 orange - yellow or sometimes bright red in 

 colour, with a peculiar smell. Many species 

 of Cistus produce a clammy gum upon their 

 leaves and stems which, in parts of the East, is 

 gathered by beating them with a sort of flail, 

 the thick gummy juice being scraped off and 

 made into a fragrant resin. Bees are exceed- 

 ingly fond of the Rock Rose, and during the dry 

 season in the south when many other flowers 

 fail, they are one of their chief resources ; this 

 probably accounts also for the many natural 

 hybrids known to botanists. Many of these, 

 though bearing distinctive names,are too much 

 alike to be of use in gardens. There are, how- 

 ever, two or three species of Helianthemum, 

 which, if botanically distinct, are so nearly 

 allied, and so like these plants in appearance 

 and needs, that they should be grown together 

 for their peculiar beauty of col- 

 our, which is not represented in 

 the Cistus proper. Omitting 

 doubtful names and uninterest- 

 ing kinds, the best and most dis- 

 tinct sorts are as follows : — 



Varieties. — Cistus albidus, 

 hoary grey foliage and pale pur- 

 ple flowers ; candidissimus, sil- 

 very-white leaves and pale rose- 

 coloured flowers, a big grower 

 from the Canaries ; corbariensis, 

 a natural cross between populifo- 

 lius and sahifolius, bearing white 

 flowers ; crispus, a handsome spe- 

 cies with trailing branches and 

 ruddy-purple flowers, but diffi- 

 cult to keep as being from the 

 warmest parts of Europe ; cyprius, hoary leaves 

 and crowded white flowers with a dark spot on 

 each petal, Cyprus ; jiorentinus, a cross between 

 sahifolius and monspeliensis, a good grower, 



very hardy, forming a dense spreading bush 

 with medium-sized white flowers; hirsutus, a 

 low grower, with oblong hairy leaves, flowers 

 white with yellow blotches ; ladanifero-mons- 

 peliensis, very large white flowers, one of the 

 finest ; ladaniferusjhe. finest of the genus, reach- 

 ing 6 to 8 feet, but usually 4 to 5, with very 

 large white flowers bearing a bold crimson 

 blotch at the base of each petal, leaves and 

 stems very clammy (whence its name Gum Cis- 

 tus), the former large and long, deep green 

 above but silvery-white below, in itself an 

 easy means of knowing this plant, the best and 

 one of the hardiest; laurifblius, from France, 

 a big grower, very hardy and lasting for many 

 years, with a good habit, and abundant white 

 flowers of large size throughout the summer, 

 one of the easiest to grow; longifolius, a natural 

 cross believed to be between popu/ifo/ius and 

 monspeliensis, white flowers marked with yel- 

 low ; lusitanicus,a. good plant of garden origin, 

 growing quickly into a shapely bush bearing 

 large white flowers with crimson spots and 

 narrow bright green foliage slightly viscous ; 

 monspeliensis, variable in habit according to soil 

 and position, medium-sized white flowers and 

 dense clammy foliage ; parvi/lorus, alow spread- 

 ing shrub with small white flowers; populif 'o- 

 //V/x,withbroadleaves and white flowers, bloom- 

 ing earlier than most ; purpureus, a very good 



* MI'.L.Sfc 



HELIANTHEMUM FORMOSUM. 



kind, with neat erect habit, pale green foliage 

 and reddish stems, the leaves often taking the 

 same tinge especially towards autumn, very 

 large flowers of reddish-purple with darker 



