hair-like petals. 
GENTAUREA, Nat. Ord. CompositcB. 
The Centaureas are a very large family, and some of the members bring no very great 
credit to the household, many English farmers think when they see the Blue Bottles among the 
Wheat, and the Knapweed in the pastures. It is, of course, a little 
flattering to our national pride to be able to say that the handsomest 
and best of the tribe are Americans. Some English Botanists, we 
know, think that one bad fellow emigrated from 
America, naturalized, and took up his abode in 
England, but we have never acknowledged the 
truth of this charge, and do not design to do so 
without better proof The Centaureas are per- 
fectly hardy, and some of the best varieties are 
really fine. C. Americana, is sometimes called 
Basket Flower, because the calyx has the appear- 
ance of a basket filled and overflowing with the 
We have endeavored to show the appearance of this flower in the engraving. 
GENTRANTHUS, Nat. Ord. Valerianacece. 
There are several varieties of perennial Centranthus, differing not very materially from the 
Valerians, that is, for the purposes of the florist. C. macrosiphon is a very pretty annual species, 
for which we are indebted to Spain. It has a light green, hoi- . ^^t, 
low, almost transparent stem, delicate branches, with light, vLjI'^ 
glaucous leaves. The flowers are small and borne in clusters, ^x'l^W J 
as shown in the engraving, and for a pretty 
bed or mass of delicate flowers, or for a 
little reserve for cutting, we may search a 
long time before we find anything to sur- 
pass the little Centranthus. The word 
macrosiphon means long-tubed, and as wi 
be seen by the engraving, these flowers 
have long, slender tubes. We have had 
no difliculty in getting a good growth from the seed, either in the open ground or under glass. 
GHAM^EPEUGE, Nat. Ord. Composites. 
The Chamaepeuce is a veiy singular and rather elegant Thistle-like plant, with the prettiest 
variegated leaves and the sharpest spines imaginable. It is perennial, 
living several years, but not blooming until the second year, though this 
is of very little consequence, as the beauty is in the foliage and not the 
flowers. It is perfectly hardy in this section, the self-sown seed having 
produced plants on our grounds for several years. It is much used in 
some parts of the world for decorative purposes, a good plant in a pot, 
looking quite as well as a young Century Plant or any thing of this character. 
GLEOME, Nat. Ord, Capparidacecs. 
The Cleomes are very good half-hardy annuals, obtained, we believe, first from South America, 
and now pretty generally cultivated 
latterly has been classed with the 
half-hardy annuals in England, and 
in America it does exceedingly well, 
flourishing in our hottest, driest 
seasons. The Cleomes have very 
singular flowers, as will be seen by 
the engraving, the stamens looking 
like spider's legs. The Cleome is a 
plant well worthy of culture. 
Growth about eighteen inches, and 
plants should be set about a foot apart 
At first it was thought to be a green-house annual, but 
Start the seed under glass, 
68 
warm sandy soil. 
