184 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
O. japonica, but they are too tender to survive the winter 
outdoors. O. spicatus is now placed in another genus, and is 
known as Liriope spicata. They may be planted out in 
May in partially shady spots, where their striped creamy or 
yellowish-white foliage will show to good effect. Grow in 
ordinary soil and plant in autumn or spring. Increased by 
division. 
Opurrtia. (Prickly Fig). — Succulent-leaved plants, a few of 
which only are hardy enough to grow outdoors. They have 
flattened, leaf-like stems superimposed one on the other and 
liberally furnished with spines. They are very quaint and 
curious in shape. The few hardy species grown are : O. vul- 
garis, stems prostrate and spreading, flowers yellow ; O. Raffi- 
nesquii, stems spreading, flowers sulphur-yellow and freely 
produced ; O. brachyartha, stems more or less round and short- 
jointed, very spiny, flowers yellow ; O. missouriensis, stems 
prostrate and spreading, flowers yellow, tinted rose. These 
will succeed outdoors on a sunny, sheltered rockery in a well- 
drained dryish soil, freely mixed with small stones and lumps 
of old mortar. Small stones should also be laid on the surface 
to support the stems and protect them from slugs. Plant in 
spring. Increased by cuttings of the stems in a greenhouse. 
Orobus (Bitter Vetch). — Hardy perennials, belonging to 
the Pea order (Leguminosae), and flowering chiefly in spring 
and early summer. Modern botanists are of opinion that the 
species of this genus should be included in the genus Lathyrus. 
The ones named below are suitable for mixed sunny borders, 
margins of shrubberies, or rough rockeries. Grow in ordinary 
soil and plant in autumn. The most interesting and beautiful 
species is O. vernus (Spring Bilbao Vetch). It is a native of 
S. Europe, grows i8in. high, and bears purple or bluish red- 
veined flowers in April. Alba is a pretty white variety ; Cya- 
neus, a blue or greenish-blue form; and flore pleno, a double 
kind. Other less grown species are : O. variegatus, purple and 
blue, ift. ; and O. aurantius, yellow, i to 2ft., June. Increased 
by seeds sown outdoors in April, also division of the roots in 
March. 
Ostrowskia (Oriental Bellflower). — O. magnifica is a 
hardy perennial, belonging to the Harebell family (Campanu- 
laceae). It is a native of Eastern Bokhara, grows 4ft. or more 
high, and forms a very handsome plant when well grown and 
laden with its large white and lilac-tinted, bell-shaped flowers 
in July. The roots are long and carrot-like, consequently to 
grow the plant properly, the soil must be dug fully 3ft. deep 
before planting. The soil it prefers is a deep sandy loam. 
The best position for it is a warm sheltered corner of a well- 
