September 3, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
701 
Notes on the Illustrations in this Issue. 
Ononis rotundifolia. 
Of all the species of Rest Harrow which we have seen, in 
gardens or in a wild state, no one can be considered neater or 
prettier than that which we illustrate. It is a native of South 
Europe, perfectly hardy in this country as far as we have ex¬ 
perienced or have seen it grown by others. Although always 
grown amongst herbaceous or rock plants it, is inclined to be 
shrubby, but never exceeds 12 in. or 18 in. in height, so that 
it may be accommodated even in collections where the space 
is somewhat limited. 
Rest Harrows usually grow in rather dry places, such as 
hedge-banks, gravelly heaths, and similar places, but always 
fully exposed to sunlight, and air. It is therefore an admirable 
subject for placing on the rockery, where it may be seen to 
best advantage without being hidden or overshadowed by 
taller-growing subjects, and where the roots may have ample 
drainage, which is always necessary to the well-being of this 
plant, which comes from a climate somewhat less, severe than 
ours, and mostly always drier. The leaves are made up of 
three orbicular or round leaflets, sufficiently numerous to give 
the plants a, clothed appearance. The flowers 
are amongst the largest for this genus, rose- 
coloured, and produced in threes on axillary 
flower-stalks that keep up. a long succession as 
the plant makes its growth during .Tune and 
July. 
It was originally introduced in 1570, but is 
not half so i often, grown as its beauty would 
warrant. The stems are not spiny, like those of 
some species, so, if considered desirable, the 
plant might be used to some extent for cut- 
flower purposes. On the rockery, however, 
which is the most suitable place for it, no. cut¬ 
ting should ever be permitted. 
Iris Lortetii. 
Until recently, great difficulties were expe¬ 
rienced in the cultivation of Oncocyclus Irises, 
but cultivators within the past few years have 
flowered large numbers of them, thus showing 
that it is not impossible either to grow or 
flower this beautiful section under artificial 
treatment. The above species was exhibited at 
Regent’s Park on June 6th last by Mr. G. 
Reuthe, Hardy Plant Nursery, Iveston, Kent. 
The plant produces a short creeping rhizome, 
so that, like others of its tribe, it is more con¬ 
venient for cultivation in pots than the German 
Irises, which have a more extensively creeping 
•rootstock. The leaves 1 are .sword-shaped, glau¬ 
cous, and about 'a foot in. length when the plant is. in bloom, 
but being thin, they recurve more or less at the tips, leaving 
the 1 flower standing clear above them. The flower is of large 
size considering the moderate dimensions of the plant, and 
interesting and effective on account of the singular arrange¬ 
ment of colours. ..li¬ 
lt. is also notable for the relatively small size of the falls m 
proportion to the magnitude of the standards. These falls, 
nevertheless, retain the peculiar structure of the. older or 
better-known I. susiana., I. Gatesii, etc. They are obovate, 
wedge-shaped at the base, grey-purple, copiously spotted and 
striked, or, rather, lined with red-brown. There is also the 
usual dark hrown or black bloitch on the disc, from which a 
heard of yellow hairs runs, down the claw. The standards are 
erect, folded over the flower and pale greyish-white, finely 
veined with reddisli-brown. The contrast between the 
standards .and the falls is as great as in I. Gatesii. The 
branches of the style are reddish-brown, and lie down over the 
falls in such a. way as to oblige the insect, visitors to. enter just 
where, the black blotch or path-finder is situated on the falls. 
The species is. a native of the Mount Lebanon range of 
mountains, and has been, found, at an elevation of 2,000 ft., so 
that it should prove fairly hardy in this country. 
Pentstemon Watsoni. 
The above specie® is a native of North-West America, but 
though it has been known to science for some time., it does 
not seemi to have reached our shores until quite recently. 
One of the most notable features about it is its dwarf habit 
but perfectly developed character of all parts of the plant, 
giving an idea, that it is a native of upland or mountainous 
regions. The leaves are roundly ovate, suddenly contracted 
into a petiole, deep green, and almost leathery in character. 
The flowers are produced in short racemes terminating the 
stems and branches, as in the species with which we are more 
fully acquainted. They are maroon-purple, downy on the out¬ 
side, and bearded with white hairs on the lower threedobed lip. 
By reason of its dwarf habit, it is well adapted for cultiva¬ 
tion in pots or pans for the adornment of the alpine house in 
the beginning of the summer, so that it blooms long in advance 
of P. Hartwegi, with which everyone is familiar in gardens. 
Its cultivation does not seem to offer any difficulty when 
treated in this manner, and if it prove sufficiently hardy, as 
we think it will, for outdoor culture, it would prove an in¬ 
teresting subject for the rockery, where it would take up. small 
space and form the advance-guard of a. long succession of 
Pentstemons where a. collection of the various wild species is 
cultivated. Our photograph was taken from a. specimen ex¬ 
hibited by Messrs. T. S. Ware, Limited, Hale Farm Nurseries, 
Feltiham, Middlesex, at the Regent’s Park Summer Show in the 
beginning 1 of June, when, a Botanical Certificate was accorded it. 
Tulipa linifolia. 
The most, striking feature of the above species is that in, its 
more normal state the leaves spread on the ground and form 
a rosette, above wliidli the flowers rise with a short scape. 
The flower itself is of large size for the plant, and of a rich 
and brilliant scarlet, with a violet-black blotch at, the base of 
each segment. The leaves are linear, and vary in number from 
five to ten, and being of a light glaucous-green and wavy at 
the margins they serve toi set off the beauty of the plant 
considerably. Those who are fond of species of Tulip should 
by no means omit this species, as it is a gem amongst its kind, 
flowering in. April and May in the open ah. 
Ononis rotundifolia: Flowers rose. 
