THE GENUS CAMPANULA FROM A GARDENER'S POINT OF VIEW. 37 
and as a consequence of this the genus is not yet fully appreciated 
by them. And the indubitable fact that to the average gardening 
mind the nomenclature of the Campanulas (at least as they are 
distributed in commerce) seems all in a muddle is hardly cal- 
culated to promote a larger employment of these decorative 
flowers. And yet it is precisely as a gardener that I would 
like to urge my humble opinion, that with a little pains the 
types may be fairly well recognised. As for the varieties, we 
cannot, even if we would, hope to master them in the sense of 
finality, for, besides natural hybrids, we get numerous garden 
varieties, especially where several types are growing close together 
as in collection. But when once one has reached the point of 
sufficient experience to be able to pick out the varieties, and 
group them around their respective types, then the haze of doubt 
in a great measure disperses, though even still, when you come 
to individuals, you may sometimes be long in doubt, and require 
more than one light by which to find your way out of the 
difficulty. 
As one thinks about these flowers the subject seems to open up 
wider and wider ; in fact, we have all in the Campanulas that can 
interest alike the botanist and the gardener : there is scope for the 
exercise of all those thoughts and arts which render gardening so 
pleasurable, but time forbids me saying much more on the present 
occasion, although I have not yet touched on culture and propaga- 
tion. Suffice to say that, though generally the Campanulas have 
a robust habit, and are propagated by the very simplest and easiest 
means, there are some which are almost the reverse, and have 
special requirements and peculiarities. Whenever we investigate 
these plants it is always better to do so in relation to environ- 
ment, for it goes without saying how many and how varied are 
the conditions of different gardens, and it is often among these 
varying local circumstances that we find the real causes which 
alone account for the different results attained. Generally, too, 
the Campanulas flourish, and increase in size in all their parts, 
under cultivation as compared with wildlings, and no doubt many 
of the Alpines experience their greatest troubles from a too kind 
and generous treatment. I dare say that some Campanulas are 
practically impossible in some gardens, but such exceptions 
would be very few indeed could we but trace out and avoid the 
excessive artificialism of some gardeners' cultural methods. 
