HARDY PLANTS. 
99 
spring. An easily-grown plant ; will thrive in any soil in a 
sunny spot. Another popular species is A. alpina plena 
(Double White Rock Cress). This yields pretty double white 
stock-like flowers on long stalks, and is a very effective edging 
or rock plant. Two other varieties of A. alpina are well worth 
growing, namely, compacta, with dense cushions of whitish 
foliage studded with white flowers ; and aurea variegata, with 
golden foliage, very suitable for edging. There is also a 
silvery-leaved variety of A. albida, named argentea variegata, 
which makes a good edging plant. Other species occasionally 
grown in gardens are : A. blepharophylla, rosy-purple ; A. lucida, 
white; A. lucida variegata, yellow-edged leaves; and A. petraea, 
white. These are suitable for rockery culture only. All will suc- 
ceed in good, ordinary soil in sunny, dryish positions. Plant in 
spring or autumn. Remove flowers from the variegated sorts. 
May be increased by seeds sown out-doors in April, trans- 
planting the seedlings 2 or 3m. apart in July, and planting 
out finally in autumn. Also increased by cuttings dibbled in a 
shady spot in summer and kept moist, or by division directly 
after flowering. Natives of Europe. 
Arctotis. — Half-hardy herbaceous perennials or annuals 
with hoary leaves and daisy-like blossoms. Natural order 
Compositae. The best-known perennial species are : A. grandi- 
flora, bright orange, July, i|ft. ; A. arborescens, ray florets 
white, pink beneath, with a yellow disk, July, 2ft. ; A. acaulis, 
orange, July, 4in. A. grandis is a half-hardy annual, growing 
2ft. high, with white, yellow and lavender flowers. All are 
natives of the Cape. The perennial species may be increased 
by seeds sown in heat in spring, or by cuttings struck in sandy 
soil in a cold frame in summer. Protect from frost in winter 
and plant out in March or April. Sow seeds of the annual 
species in heat in spring. These plants prefer a dry, sunny 
spot. Ordinary soil. 
Arenaria (Sandwort). — Dwarf, creeping alpine plants, 
adapted for rockery culture. They belong to the Pink family 
(Caryophyllaceae). A. balearica (Creeping Sandwort) grows 
less than an inch high, creeps over the surface of soil 01 
rock, and forms a dense green carpet. In spring the latter is 
studded with pretty white blossoms. A useful plant for 
carpeting bare spots or where choice bulbs are grown. Plant 
between the chinks of stones. A. montana grows sin. high 
and bears large white flowers in summer ; a good plant to 
trail over stones on a rockery. A. grandiflora grows 4 to 6in. 
high and bears white flowers in summer ; a pretty rock plant. 
A. purpurascens bears purplish flowers, has a tufted habit of 
growth, and is an interesting rockery genus. All will succeed 
in ordinary soil. Increase by division of the plants in 
