OUE lady’s milk thistle. 
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from Texas, is somewhat similar, but has lilac or pale 
rose blossoms. In the variety Listeri the petals are 
prettily fringed. 
SILENE ( Catchfly ). — The annual Silenes (all forms 
of S. pendula), of which there are pink, rose, and white 
varieties, are easily raised from seeds sown in spring 
in gentle heat or in the open air. When massed in the 
border they are very effective and as they are only 6 
to 12 inches high, may be used to fill up inevitable 
gaps near the front among perennials. Other annual 
Silenes are, Armeria, pink, and also white ; Atocion 
pink; and vespertina, rosy. 8. compacta is a charming 
biennial with dense clusters of pink or deep rose 
blossoms. It may be raised from seeds in heat in 
spring if required to flower the same season, or in 
autumn in cold frames to flower the following year. 
Amongst the perennial Silenes may be mentioned : 
8. acaulis, a pretty species with dense cushions of 
foliage, through which the pink, rose, crimson, or 
white blossoms peep in summer. S. Elizabeth ae, bright 
rose ; 8. maritimaflore pleno, with double white flowers 
from June to August. S. orientalis, about 2 feet high, 
is a bushy plant with large globular heads of bright 
rose clove-scented blossoms. 8. Schafta has purple 
flowers ; and S. ZawadsJci has clusters of white flowers 
from May to July. 
SILYBUM Marianum (Our Lady’s Milk Thistle ). — 
An interesting Thistle-like plant with large sinuately- 
lobed and divided leaves with spiny margins and 
irregular white blotches all over the surface. The 
large rose-purple flower-heads appear from July to 
September on stout stalks 2 to 4 feet high. This 
