3°4 



FLORA AND SYLVA, 



tings than any, the slender shoots rooting freely 

 in early autumn. It had been nearly lost to 

 gardens, but is now yearly growing in favour. 

 There are several red and white varieties now 

 grown in this country, including a fine double- 

 white form, and one in which the flowers are 

 shaded with rose. Other forms are semiplena, 

 with white flowers ; anemonijiora, with white 

 outer petals surrounding a mass of narrower 

 yellow ones ; and variegata, a plant pretty in 

 leaf, with single pink flowers, but not constant, 

 and often of feeble growth. 



The Tea Plant (C. Thea).— Though 

 grown in but few gardens this exists under 

 many cultivated forms throughout southern 

 Asia, from Persia eastwards, and though China 

 has been its centre of growth the plant is be- 

 lieved to have come originally from India. In 

 this country it exists as a greenhouse ever- 

 green, with dark green leaves and white flowers 

 about 2 inches across and coming first in early 

 winter. Those best known are Thea Bo/iea, the 

 Canton variety, and Thea viridis, a much hardier 

 plant from which the best tea is made. Thea 

 Assam'ica, grown in northern India, is again 

 different, taller, larger in leaf, and yielding a 

 pale liquid of distinct flavour. The Tea is a 

 very graceful plant and well worthy of culti- 

 vation apart from its commercial uses. 



THE CAPE COWSLIPS [Lachen- 

 alid\ . 



These pretty South African bulbs have 

 gradually made their way in gardens by 

 their real beauty and merit, though for 

 many years they were rare and little un- 

 derstood, the plants (like the Freesia 

 and similar bulbs) being often spoiled by 

 too much heat. Not that the Lachen- 

 alias are new plants in English gardens; 

 some of the best known kinds were in- 

 troduced many years ago, and must at 

 one time have been widely grown, but 

 they had disappeared so completely that 

 but twenty years since very few were to 

 be found in cultivation. Gradually they 

 have come back to favour, and as their 



use has become more general they have 

 proved to be amongst the easiest of 

 bulbs to grow, needing only protection 

 from frost, with air and sunshine when- 

 ever possible,in a coolgreenhouse,apro- 

 tected frame, or even a well-lighted win- 

 dow. They flower early in the year, be- 

 fore the multitude of Dutch bulbs, their 

 spikes lasting in beauty for many weeks 

 upon the plants, and for a fortnight 

 when cut, if kept in fresh water and a 

 cool room. Their colours, when well 

 grown, are rich and varied, but pains 

 should be taken to secure a good strain, 

 as plants of one species vary a good 

 deal, and good bulbs soon lose in beauty 

 if badly grown. Though the plants are 

 not easily hurt even by fog, full expo- 

 sure to all available sunlight ensures 

 good colouring, which often deepens 

 when the flowers have been open for a 

 few days. An added merit is that the 

 whole of the flowers on a spike are in 

 beauty before the lower ones fade, un- 

 like many fine plants which are spoiled 

 by the progressive withering of their 

 blossoms. Given air and sunlight, Lach- 

 enaliasarenot particular as to soil, some 

 growers claiming success as complete 

 with a mixture of pure sand and de- 

 cayed cow manure as with a more care- 

 fullyprepared compost ofloam,manure, 

 sand, and wood-ashes. Any light rich 

 soil seems to suit them, and though itis 

 usual to re-pot the bulbs each year they 

 will do very well for a second or third 

 season if well planted, provided the soil 

 keeps in good condition. It is impor- 

 tant to plant early in autumn before 

 growth has commenced — usually some 

 time in August ; the pots should then be 



