As from the lateness of its flowering, and the want of sufficient warmth, it rarely ripens its seeds with us; the usual mode of increasing it is by layers, and sometimes by cuttings; but the best plants are raised from seeds. MILLER observes, that the scarce varieties may be propagated by grafting them on each other, which is the common method of propagating the sorts with striped leaves.

In the time of PARKINSON it was not looked on as a hardy shrub: he thus writes,--"they are somewhat tender, and would not be suffered to be uncovered in the winter time, or yet abroad in the garden, but kept in a large pot or tubbe, in the house or in a warme cellar, if you would have them to thrive." _Park. Parad._

[84]

TUSSILAGO ALPINA. ALPINE COLTSFOOT.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA.

_Generic Character._

_Receptaculum_ nudum. _Pappus_ simplex. _Cal._ squamae aequales, disc.u.m aequantes, submembranaceae.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

TUSSILAGO _alpina_ scapo unifloro subnudo, foliis cordato orbiculatis crenatis utrinque virentibus. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 755._

TUSSILAGO alpina rotundifolia glabra. _Bauh. Pin. 197._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No 84]

This species, a native of the Alps, of Switzerland, and Austria, is frequently kept in gardens for the sake of variety; like the rest of the genus, it flowers early in the spring, in March and April; is a very hardy perennial, increases most readily in a moist shady situation, is usually kept in pots for the convenience of sheltering it in very severe seasons; but it will grow readily enough in the open border. All plants that flower early, though ever so hardy, require some kind of shelter, previous to, and during their flowering.

Is propagated by parting its roots in autumn.

[85]

SPARTIUM JUNGEUM. SPANISH BROOM.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.

_Generic Character._

_Stigma_ longitudinale, supra villosum. _Filamenta_ germini adhaerentia.

_Calyx_ deorsum productus.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

SPARTIUM _junceum_ ramis oppositis teretibus apice floriferis, foliis lanceolatis. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 643._

SPARTIUM arborescens, feminibus lenti similibus. _Bauh. Pin. 396._

Spanish Broom. _Park. Parad. p. 442. t. 443. fig. 4._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No 85]

Grows naturally in France, Spain, Italy, and Turkey; bears our climate extremely well; is a common shrub in our nurseries and plantations, which it much enlivens by its yellow blossoms: flowers from June to August, or longer in cool seasons.

Is raised by seeds, which generally come up plentifully under the shrubs.

MILLER mentions a variety of it, which, as inferior to the common sort, does not appear to be worth cultivating.

[86]

GLADIOLUS COMMUNIS. COMMON CORN-FLAG.

_Cla.s.s and Order._

TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Corolla_ s.e.xpart.i.ta, ringens. _Stamina_ adscendentia.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

GLADIOLUS _communis_ foliis ensiformibus, floribus distantibus.

GLADIOLUS utrinque floridus? _Bauh. Pin. 41._

The French Corn-Flag. _Park. Parad. p. 189. t. 191. f. 1._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No 86]

Grows wild in the corn fields of most of the warmer parts of Europe, varies with white and flesh-coloured blossoms, increases so fast, both by offsets and seeds, as to become troublesome to the cultivator; hence, having been supplanted by the Greater Corn-Flag, the _Byzantinus_ of MILLER, whose blossoms are larger, and more shewy, it is not so generally found in gardens as formerly.

It flowers in June.

[87]