GENTIAN, MIRROR OF THE SKY 
—and most of the Gentians are brilliant enough, and blue 
enough for that, but other species of them may be white, 
yellow, purple or brown. They will add the final touch of 
alluring beauty to the rock garden or the border. 
Gentians are really not hard to handle, that is save for a 
very few over-particular (and thereby over-rated) species. 
We have a fairly large collection of them here at Old 
Orchard, in the trying climate of the Atlantic coastal plain, 
and they have been grown from seed right on the nursery. 
You can do it, too, if you will follow directions as to sowing 
time and have the bit of patience that these naturally slow- 
germinating .seeds require. Gentians in general like neither 
drought, nor any excessive standing moisture, but always 
deep loose soil. For most of the species, we use a propor- 
tion of fine peat moss, mixed with the soil at root depth. 
21 GENTIANA ACAULIS—ryt(1-2)7. Royal blue trumpets 
of rather startling size, on little spreading plants. Variable, 
but always very good. Quite sure from seeds sown in 
late autumn. Pkt. 15c; 1/32 oz. 385c. 
21 GENTIANA ANDREWSI—erkt(3-4)20. The Closed 
Gentian can be spectacular in well-grown, many-stemmed 
plants, each loaded with serried clusters of ‘‘sealed vase’’ 
flowers in brilliant vitreous blue. It’s fairly easy from seed, 
preferably sown outside in late autumn, or otherwise in very 
early spring. Pkt. 10c; 1/1g oz. 25c; %& oz. 40c. (Plants, each 
35c; 8 for $1.00.) 
21 GENTIANA ASCLEPIADEA—rbmstyt(4)30. The Willow 
Gentian of sub-alpine woodlands. Great sheafs of lithe 
stems, loaded with sparkling sapphire trumpets. Pkt. 15c. 
21 GENTIANA ASCLEPIADEA ALBA—Lovely alabaster 
whiteness, otherwise like last. Pkt. 20c. 
21 GENTIANA CALYCOSA—ermtkt(3)10. Many stems, each 
ending in a bell-shaped flower of rich velvety blue, with 
white throat. Of good garden behavior. Pkt. 15c. 
11 THE FRINGED GENTIAN — GENTIANA CRINITA — 
*rnstyt(3-4)25. Flowers of an exquisite charm, with spread- 
ing, deeply fringed petals in most delightful misty color- 
ings, sky blue to indigo. Late autumn or early winter 
sowings are likely best, though very early spring sowings 
will often give adequate results. Does not transplant well, 
save when very young. Late autumn sowing will often pro- 
duce flowers following summer and fall, the plant then 
behaving more or less as a winter annual. Pkt. 20c; special 
larger pkg. for 50c. 
21 GENTIANA CRUCIATA—rbkt(2-3)12. Though the flow- 
ers are individually small, the color, an azure blue, is good, 
and there are so many of them, and on so many stems, that 
the Se plant effect is good, too. Pkt. 15c. (Plants, each 
30c. 
21 GENTIANA DAHURICA—erbkt(3)14. This Gentian does 
particularly well with us, and in the form we have at Old 
Orchard, the color is a rich deep blue. It is a vigorous and 
floriferous species. Definitely, we do not agree with Farrer’s 
comments on it, for we think it is decidedly worth growing 
and having. Pkt. 15c. (Plants, each 50c.) 
21 GENTIANA FARRERI — rkt(2-3)6. A very beautiful 
Gentian. Narrow-leafed trailing shoots upturn in great 
trumpets of brightest Cambridge-blue, but the throat within 
is pure white. From mountain borders of Tibet. Pkt. 25c. 
21 GENTIANA FREYNIANA—erkt(8-4)8. Many low leafy 
shoots that carry terminal trumpets, one to three, big 
spreading blossoms of ultramarine. From Anatolian moun- 
tains. Pkt. 15ec. (Plants, each 35c; 3 for $1.00.) 
21 GENTIANA GRACILEPES — rkt(2-3)6. This pretty 
Gentian comes from the Chinese province of Kansu. Lax 
stems stray out from central foliage rosettes, each carrying 
at its tip a single big flower of deep blue-indigo. Pkt. 15c. 
(Plants, each 50c.) 
21 GENTIANA KURROO—ryt(5)6. 
high Kashmir. From a low rosette of linear leafage, little 
shining, mahogany-tinted stems trail out, prostrate, but 
rising at the tip to carry each a big, solitary flower of 
ea blue, bells that finish in wide, horizontal star-lobes. 
‘ c. 
21 GENTIANA LAGODECHIANA—See page 2. Pkt. 15c. 
21 GENTIANA ORNATA—rkt(3)5. Little slenderly branch- 
ing plants that bear surprisingly large upright bells of 
flowers of good _mid-blue, but white within, and banded 
with purple outside. From Nepal. Pkt. 20c. 
21 GENTIANA PANNONICA—ebkt(3)24. A rather hand- 
some species with serried bells of odd chocolate-toned purple. 
A robust, erect grower. Pkt. 15c. (Plants, each 30c; 3 for 
85e.) 
A lovely Gentian of 
[ 37 ] 
21 GENTIANA PHLOGIFOLIA—erbkt(2)10. A rather vig- 
orous and garden-easy Gentian. Many leafy upright- 
turning branches that are loaded with good bell-shaped 
SL ats of bright blue. Pkt. 15c. 
$1.00. 
21 GENTIANA PNEUMONANTHE—rmtkt(3)16. The Heath 
Gentian. Many slender, upright stems, set with even more 
slender linear leaves. 
top of the stem, are pretty bells of deep blue, that at the base 
become lighter and bear emerald stripes. Pkt. 20c. 
21 GENTIANA PORPHYRIO—rmtatyt(4)12. There can be 
no lovelier Gentian than this. Big, up-facing flowers of blue, 
richest ultramarine, dotted within sparsely with brown-olive. 
The corolla-lobes flare widely, giving splendid color display. 
The plants are mostly blossom, just a few glossy stems, with 
trace of scanty linear foliage. It delights in sandy soil with 
a bit of peat in it, and it should not be allowed to suffer 
from drought. Pkt. 15c. (Plants, each 50c; 3 for $1.40.) 
Illustrated page 57. 
21 GENTIANA PUNCTATA—It grows sturdily to two feet, 
carrying in the leaf-axils and at the top of the stem, many 
bell-shaped flowers of palest yellow, with elfin green suf- 
fusions, but spotted contrastingly with purple. The plants 
as a whole are quite attractive, though the individual flowers 
can hardly be termed beautiful. Plants only, each 30c; 
8 for 85c.) 
21 GENTIANA SCEPTRUM — rmtstkt (3) 25. 
Gentian of vigorous habit. Big blue blossoms. 
it light shade and ample moisture. Pkt. 15c. 
21 GENTIANA SEPTEMFIDA—ermtatkt(3)10. It comes as 
close as any Gentian may, to being easy. An enduring 
perennial, thriving in light shade and full sun, becoming 
better year by year. Amazingly jagged flower-bells of lovely 
Oe Ele. Pkt. 15c; 1/e, oz. 30c. (Plants, each 35c; 3 for 
85c. 
21 GENTIANA SIKKIMENSIS—rmatyt(3)9. A pretty mat- 
former, bearing many white-throated blue-bells. From 
rocky hillsides of Sikkim and Yunnan. Pkt. 15c. 
21 GENTIANA STRAMINEA—ebyt(3)25. Stately plants, 
the robust stems carrying clusters of spreading urn-flowers, 
creamy, with dashes of olive, and hint of blue suffusion. 
Pkt. 15c. (Plants, large two-year size, each 50c.) 
21 GENTIANA TIBETICA—ebkt(2-3)25. Plants of good up- 
right carriage, bearing tiers of closely clustered flowers, 
these showing an interesting, rather than beautiful, blend- 
ing of tones, straw yellow, olive and palest blue, with 
white. Pkt. 15c. (Plants, each 30c; 3 for 85c.) 
21 GENTIANA VERNA—ryt(1)7. Spring Gentian. Up-fac- 
ing blossoms like wide-petalled azure stars. Mid-spring. 
Variable, but always lovely. Pkt. 20c. 
OTHER GENTIANS—tThese are good, too. 
orous pale yellow. Plants, each 25c. 
Large bells of rich dark blue. Name horticultural. Pkt. 
15e. LUTEA, spectacular towering yellow. Pkt. 15c. PUR- 
PUREA, tones of violet and chocolate in weird blend. 
Handsome. Pkt. 15ec. QUINQUEFOLIA, pretty clustered 
blue. Annual. Pkt. 15c. SCABRA BUERGERI, spreading 
bells of deep blue. Japan. Pkt. 15c. STYLOPHORA, starry 
soft yellow. Tall. Pkt. 15c. 
OFFER 89A1—One pkt. each of the 30 Gentians offered in 
seed form, for $4.25. 
GENTIAN PLANTS as here offered are seedlings one year 
old. They should each give some flowers this summer of 
1941, but will not reach full strength of bloom or size of 
plant until following season. Gentians Andrewsi, Dahurica, 
Gracilepes and Straminea will be supplied in strong two- 
year-old plants. : : 
21 GENTIAN BLEND—The kinds above, with others. 
mixture. Pkt. 15c; special large pkg. for 50c. 
A splendid 
Showy. Give 
BURSERI, vig- 
FLORENCIANA— 
Fine 

Within our garden, we may build a world to fit. 
Beauty, peace, the joy-rest of accomplishing—multum 
in parvo. 

33 GEISSORHIZA SPLENDIDISSIMA—erk(3)10. Unusual 
South African bulb, to be handled in the garden, and in 
storage, like Gladiolus. Flowers are rather like those of 
Freesia, and there is the same slender airy habit, but the 
color is_brighter. In- this species it is an intense blue- 
violet. Pkt. 15c. 
55 GENISTA CANARIENSIS—w. Fragrant blossoms of rich 
yellow. Exceedingly floriferous. This is the Genista of the 
tee trade, but technically it is Cytisus canariensis. 
c. 
(Plants, each 35c; 3 for 
In the axil of each leaf, and at the 
Pkt. 
