January  SB,  1897. 
JOURNAL  of  horticulture  and  cottage  gardener. 
77 
One  is  the  double  purple,  now  sold  as  “  ccerulea  fl.-pl.”  “Toe  flowers 
are  small  buttons,  but  very  thicke  of  leaves  and  as  double  as  a  flower 
can  be,  of  a  deep  blew  or  purple  colour.”  This  variety  is  weakly  in 
constitution ;  a  plant  I  have  had  for  at  least  twenty  years  is  no  whit 
larger  now  than  it  was  when  planted.  The  other  is  the  double  blue 
Hepatica,  a  variety  that  is  identical  in  the  shape  of  the  flowers  with  the 
double  red,  and  of  which  a  bloom  is  portrayed  with  great  exactness  in 
Hill’s  “  Eden.”  Rea  calls  it  “  watchet  blew.”  This  writer  describes  the 
double  white  Hepatica,  which,  ha  says,  has  “  smaller  and  fresher  green 
leaves  than  the  others  ;  the  flowers  snow  white  and  as  thick  and 
double.” 
This  variety,  said  by  the  writer  to  be  “  the  most  rare  and  tender,”  as 
well  as  a  single  white,  double  and  single  blue,  and  double  and  single 
red,  is  mentioned  by  Laurence  in  “  A  New  System  of  Husbandry,”  1727, 
Barlowi  is  well  known.  I  grow,  besides  those  already  noted,  a  light 
coral  coloured  variety,  and  another  with  deep  pink  flowers,  both  very 
pretty.  Robinson,  in  “Alpine  Flowers,”  mentions  splendens,  and  one 
grower  catalogues  violacea,  both  varieties  that  I  have  not  seen. 
The  finest  of  all  Hepaticas,  however,  is  the  large-flowered  form  of 
angulosa.  It  spreads  over  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  in  a  few  years 
forms  broad  masses  which  are  perfectly  smothered  in  late  spring  with 
large  flowers  of  a  lovely  light  blue  colour.  No  kind  grows  so  well  as 
this,  and  judged  on  its  merits  it  is  doubtful  if  any  flower  blooming  at 
the  same  time  surpasses  it  in  quiet  beauty. 
Hepaticas  are  generally  supposed  to  be  easy  to  cultivate,  but  on  light 
soils  I  have  found  them,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  varieties,  to  be 
rather  difficult  to  manage.  In  a  state  of  nature  they  choose  a  somewhat 
shady  position.  Under  cultivation  they  appear  to  require  a  strong 
Fig.  21.— DEUTZIA  LEMOINEI. 
Laurence  says  there  are  other  kinds,  but  those  he  mentions  are  Considered 
to  be  most  worthy  cultivation.  He  includes  HepaticaB  and  all  other 
low-growing  plants  under  the  curious  appellation  of  “  reptiles,”  which 
he  explains  is  because  they  grow  near  the  ground.  It  is  to  be  remarked 
that  in  the  part  of  the  work  devoted  to  horticulture,  which  is  a  very 
■mall  portion  of  the  whole,  matters  are  noted  that  go  to  show  Laurence 
cannot  be  credited  ai  an  authority.  Hence,  when  we  find  in  Hill’s 
“  Eden  ”  (1757)  a  shade  of  suspicion  hovering  over  the  existence  of  the 
double  white  Hepatica  one  is  more  careful  in  giving  credence  to  what 
the  other  writes  about  it.  Though  Hill  is  said  not  to  have  written 
himself,  his  book  bears  evidence  that  it  was  written  by  someone  well  up 
in  the  subject. 
In  addition  to  these  I  have  a  note  that  Crispin  de  Pass  names  and 
figures  a  yellow  variety — “  H.  trifolia  aureum.”  This,  the  double  white 
and  the  argentrive,  would  be  welcome  additions  could  they  be  found  to 
the  number  of  our  old  flowers.  Of  what  may  be  called  modern  varieties 
holding  soil,  and  a  position  somewhat  shaded  from  the  sun.  In 
herbaceous  border  running  north  and  south  they  exhibit  a  marked 
preference  for  the  west  side  of  the  walk.  An  established  plant  resents 
removal  or  division,  therefore  it  is  well,  a  short  time  previous  to  the 
appearance  of  the  flowers,  that  a  little  fresh  soil  be  sprinkled  over  the 
clumps.  This  has  a  markedly  beneficial  effect  on  their  health. 
The  plants  bear  seed  very  freely,  and  old  writers  advise  advantage  to 
be  taken  of  this  in  order  to  raise  new  colours  ;  and,  if  the  seeds  are  kept 
for  some  years  before  sowing,  new  double  varieties.  Seedlings  come  up 
plentifully  here,  but  no  new  variety  has  been  produced.  I  have  seen 
the  practice  of  raising  plants  from  seeds  recommended  of  recent  years. 
It  would  be  interesting  to  know  from  some  one  of  those  who  have  raised 
seedling  Hepaticas  what  they  think  of  the  plan,  and  whether  any  variety 
of  outstanding  merit  has  been  produced.  None  of  our  seedsmen  offers 
seeds,  and  one  is  induced  to  believe  that  the  practice  has  never  taken 
hold. — R.  P.  B. 
