HARDY PLANTS. 
223 
Sidalcca.. — Hardy perennials, belonging to the Mallow 
order (Malvaceae). Showy plants for mixed sunny borders and 
ordinary soil. The most noteworthy species are S. Candida, 
white, borne in terminal racemes in summer ; height 3ft. ; 
Colorado. S. malvaeflora (Syn. Callirhoe spicata), lilac or 
pale rose; 3ft.; Texas; and S. malvaeflora Listeri, a delicate 
shade of pink with fringed flow'ers, 3ft. The last-named is 
a very showy plant. Plant in autumn or spring. Increased 
by seeds sown in gentle heat in summer, then hardened 
off and planted out to flower the next season ; or by division 
in March. 
Silene (Catchfly; Campion). — Hardy annuals, biennials 
and perennials, belonging to the Carnation order (Caryophyl- 
laceae).The annual species are very showy border flowers, the 
varieties of S. pendula especially being extensively used for 
spring bedding. S. Armeria (Sweet William Catchfly) is an 
old species, a native of France and Switzerland, bearing pink 
flowers in panicles in August and September, and growing 
a foot or so high. May be grown in sandy soil in a sunny 
border. There is a w'hite form called alba. The other annual 
species (S. pendula) is a native of Italy, grows a foot high, 
and bears fleshy-pink flowers in spring and summer. There 
are several well-known varieties of it, named Alba, white ; 
compacta, pink ; Empress of India, crimson ; compacta flore 
pleno, double, rose; compacta alba flore pleno, double, white; 
and Snow King, white, single. The varieties range from 6 to 
i2in. in height. They are used for carpeting beds of spring 
bulbs, edging borders, and growing in masses in borders. 
Sow seeds of S. Armeria outdoors in April, or in cold frames 
in September, and plant out in spring. S. pendula and its 
varieties may be sown outdoors in July, the seedlings trans- 
planted when large enough to handle, 3 to 4in. apart in a 
nursery bed, and finally planted in their flowering positions 
in September or October. Plant 6 to 8in. apart. For summer 
flowering sow outdoors in April. S. compacta is a lovely 
hardy biennial, a native of Russia. It grows i8in. high, and 
bears pink blossoms in dense corymbs during the summer. 
This showy plant may be raised from seed sown in a cold 
frame in September, the seedlings being grown on in pots 
or boxes and planted out in spring ; or sown outdoors in 
April to yield plants for flowering the next year. A rich, deep, 
well-drained soil and sunny border are necessary to grow this 
species well. The perennial species include the dainty little 
native Moss Campion (S. acaulis), an alpine with a compact, 
cushion-like growth which is studded with pink blossoms in 
summer. There is a white variety named alba; a pale pink 
