THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
45 
variety; the flowers of medium size, good form, and 
borne in neat spikes ; color, rosy salmon, richly feathered 
with rose. Ther he de Vilmorin. —Spike rather large, 
and very compact; the flowers of full size, splendid 
form, and beautifully striped with rose on a pure white 
ground. 
Whether our own growers are to send out any of their 
new seedlings this season, we cannot say. Messrs. Hal- 
lock & Thorpe exhibited some very fine ones last season, 
several of them fully equal to any of the French or 
English varieties ; but whether their stock is sufficiently 
large to warrant offering to the trade, we cannot say. 
Messrs. C. L. Allen & Co., we know, are not going to 
offer theirs until they have at least a thousand bulbs of a 
kind, which they expect to have for the spring trade of 
1886. 
FORGET-ME-NOTS. 
I T would be difficult to find a more familiar group of 
plants than the “ Forget-me-nots.” To assign a reason 
for our knowledge of these plants is not a difficult matter. 
In the first place their flowers are attractive, without 
being in the least degree showy. There is another 
reason, they are the emblem of love, and if we look at 
them, we shall find that they are well worthy of that 
honor, for they are as innocent-looking, as playful, but 
treacherous, as Cupid himself. 
Nature has planted these flowers in moist places, on 
the richest soil. Therefore, if we wish to be successful 
in growing them, we must choose the dampest places in 
our gardens, and if we follow nature in her teaching, we 
shall not go far wrong. They are plants of easy cultiva¬ 
tion if their wants are satisfied, but very troublesome if 
they do not obtain all. they want. They need lifting and 
replanting every other year, because they get sick of the 
same soil year after year and finally dwindle away and 
die. Therefore, we must come to the rescue, and give 
timely aid in the matter of supplying them with fresh soil, 
and in lifting and replanting. The time for doing this 
operation is after the flowering is over, and, as a rule, 
good light rich loam is the best to plant them in. They 
can be propagated in three ways, either by seed, cuttings, 
or division; and all the methods are easy, for they come 
up well from seed, if the seed-pots can have the pro¬ 
tection of a hand-light and a nice open cojnpost is em¬ 
ployed. Propagating by cuttings is a favorite way, and 
also a good one. Take the cuttings when the Antirrhi¬ 
nums and similar plants are propagated and serve 
Forget-me-nots in the same way as you would those 
cuttings. Dividing the plants can be done when the 
flowering season is over. Take care to choose as damp 
a situation as possible, and the richer the sod the better 
for the well-being of the plants. Other minor details 
peculiar to each species will be noted in the enumeration 
of the sorts. 
Alpine Forget-me-not, Myosotis alpestris. — This 
is a fine ornament in gardens during the spring months, 
and one that ought to hold a place among the smallest 
collection of hardy plants. It is of dwarf habit, attaining 
only a few inches in height, with hairy dark-green leaves. 
The flowers are rather large and of a bright blue color, 
appearing about May and June. It is a good species for 
growing on the rockery, and requires a moderately shady 
spot, where the soil is well drained. Found sometimes 
>in Britain, but very rarely; and is more frequently met 
with on the Alps. This species is best raised from seed. 
It is sometimes catalogued as M. rupicola. 
Azorean Forget-me-not, M. Azorica. — Unlike the 
foregoing, this is a good sort for the border. It is very 
distinct from others in general appearance, and bears 
differently colored flowers, so that it should be grown for 
the sake of the variety it affords. It grows about nine 
inches in height, and is of very compact habit, with 
rough hairy foliage. The flowers are produced in dense 
racemes, and are at first of a rich purple hue, which 
rapidly passes into a deep blue color. It revels in a 
moist position, and should be planted in a well-drained 
soil, consisting of sandy loam incorporated with a small 
proportion of leaf-mould. Native of the Azores. 
Loose-Flowering Forget-me-not, M. dissitiflora .— 
An early flowering kind, about nine inches in height. 
Its fine large deep sky-blue flowers appear in the earliest 
spring months, continuing in bloom throughout the sum¬ 
mer. It is invaluable for spring bedding, and also forms 
a good border or rock plant. When planted in a good 
moist soil it sows itself, and may also be very easily raised 
either by division or cuttings. Native of the Alps. It 
was first catalogued as M. montana, but the name given 
above is now generally adopted. 
Common Forget-me-not, M. palustris. —Every 
village child is acquainted with the beautiful common 
species that grows so abundantly in moist places. It is 
not necessary to describe it, because everyone ought to 
know it, but suffice it to say that if this common plant 
was more generally cultivated it would be better for our 
gardens and afford us an endless fund of pleasure. It 
will not grow anywhere, as some people think, but 
requires a good loamy soil, and, of course, needs a wet 
position, because in its native state it inhabits swampy 
places; so we must try to make it as home-like as possi¬ 
ble. It should be lifted annually, as it soon dies away if 
allowed to remain in the same position for any length of 
time. For beds and borders it is also serviceable, and, 
in fact, in a variety of ways this plant can be utilized in 
the flower garden. 
Wood Forget-me-not, M. sylvatica. —A popular 
spring bedding plant, growing about one foot in height. 
It should be planted in masses, because the individual 
plants are far too thin to produce any effect. The flow¬ 
ers are of a beautiful blue color, produced in long loose 
racemes. It sows itself freely, and is, therefore, easily 
propagated. Native of Britain and Asia.— Exchange. 
