PLANTS WORTH GROWING 159 
stems, clothed with narrow, pointed leaves of glaucous 
green and graceful little spikes of white flowers 
having an appearance not unlike Heather. This is 
a good plant to grow for cutting. 
Linum. — The common flax of the linen industry- 
is Linum usitatissimum, a blue-flowered annual, and 
very pretty it is when allowed to bloom in a mass, 
but the several perennial and shrubby species are 
capable of finer effect if only they are given a 
reasonable opportunity. That opportunity is not 
given as often as it should be. All too often just 
two or three odd plants of Linum narbonense get 
dotted about the border among stronger-growing 
plants, and thus disposed do not stand a chance 
of producing a great effect. In the first place, the 
Linums dislike root disturbance, and in the second, 
they are only seen to full effect when grown in a 
broad mass. The best plan with any of the herbaceous 
types is to sow seed on a patch of ground where 
the seedlings may grow undisturbed. With the 
shrubby species, plant a group of young plants from 
pots, and immediately after each flowering season 
prune hard back, and mulch with hop manure or 
very old stable manure to assist the production of 
vigorous young growth. Blues of shades, yellows, 
and pure whites may be secured either among the 
shrubby or herbaceous sections. 
Lobelia. — To many the name Lobelia simply 
indicates the blue-flowered edging plant used so 
generally, planted in conjunction with scarlet Gera- 
