Several species of Achillea are ornamental, particularly the Sweet maudlin (4. ageratum.) A double-flowered variety of our native sneezewort (4. ptarmica) very well deserves a place in the border. The spring Adonis (4. vernalis) is a perennial species, producing large yellow flowers in the beginning or April, when flowers are scarce. A double variety of Rose-campion ?grostemma coronaria) is a highly elegant plant ; it is properly only a biennial, but it may be continued for several years by parting the roots in autumn. The perennial flax (Linurn percnne) is a very pretty native plant, deserving of a situation in the bor der. The round-headed Rampion (Phyteuma orbicularis) is another native, not less worthy of a place.
A curious variety of the common Toad-flax (Linaria vulgaris, H. K.), with live nectaries and five stamina to each corolla, is cultivated in some gardens, and much ad mired, it not being without reason that Miller styles it a " beautiful monster." It was first described in the " Amce nitates Academicx," under the title of Peloria, and it is figured under the same name in " English Botany." 483 Several species of Dianthus, besides the carnation and pink, are much cultivated in gardens. D. barbatus, or bearded pink, more generally known by the name of Sweet William, is very common. It is a perennial, and may be increased by slips ; but it is generally raised from seeds, seedling plants producing the strongest flowers : in this way, too, a great variety in the colours of the flowers is procured. When a very good kind occurs, it should be planted apart, at a considerable distance from all others, and the seed should be saved. The principal variations of colour are, deep red, pale red or rose-coloured, bluish purple, purple and white, white spotted ; red with a white border, called Painted Ladies ; purple with a white border, and pure white. Double flowers of several of these va rieties are carefully preserved by the curious, and propa gated by offsets and by cuttings ; the double crimson and rose-coloured are particularly esteemed. The narrow leaved bearded pink is called Sweet John. A very re markable and beautiful variety is the Mule Pink, supposed to have proceeded from the flower of a carnation acted upon by the pollen of the narrow-leaved bearded pink.
484. Two species of Eryngium are very ornamental, E. alpinum, and E. amethystinum. In the former, the fine azure blue, with streaks of green and white, of the large in% oluerum, never fail to attract admiration. It generally ripens its seed in this country, and seedling plants may be observed near the parent plant, frequently under the shel ter of the box edging. The other species has the upper part of the stem, as well as the head of flowers, of the richest amethystine colour, and therefore produces a very fine ef fect on the bolder. It is only in good situations, and in fa, vourable seasons, that the ,seeds of this species come to maturity. Our natives species E. maritimum, or sea-holly, is admired for the glaucous hue of its leaves and stems : it may be planted in a mixture of sand and gravel : it is not easily clog up on the sea-shore, the roots running very deep into the sand : it should be removed in autumn. The roots of this species were formerly candied. Along with these eryngiums, may be classed several species of Statice or Thrift, in particuiar S. latifolia, scoparia, tatarica, and speciosa, all natives of Russia or Siberia.
485. Fraxinella or Dictamnus albus is a plant which merits a place, being both beautiful and curious. When gently rubbed the plant emits an odour like that of lemon peel. The pedicels of the flowers arc covered with glands of a rusty red colour : from these a viscid juice or resin exudes, which is exhaled in vapour, and is said occasion ally to produce a slight explosion : this phenomenon is to be observed in a warm, dry, and clear night in June, by approaching a lighted candle to the flower of the plant.
The usual colour of the fraxinella is white ; but there is a red variety.
486. The Cardinal's Flower (Lobelia cardinals) is a very elegant plant : But it is now in a great measure supplant ed by another species of the same genus, of still greater brilliancy, L. fagots. The flower of this last is among the brightest scarlets of the vegetable kingdom. The plant is readily propagated by offsets, hut it will scarcely endure our winters without protection. A few plants may be left to their fate, while others may be covered with hand-glasses in the borders ; but it is safest to pot a number of plants, and keep them under a frame during winter.
487. Catananche merulea requires a dry soil and shel tered situation ; it is often indeed kept in pots, and placed under glass in winter. Its flowers are of a very fine blue ; and there is a double variety, which however is not com mon. The Canadian Columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis) is a delicate looking flower, highly ornamental. Garden Wall-flower, (C/zeiranthus cheirz) when double and of dark colour, is much prized ; there is also a pretty variety of the native species, C. fruticulosus, with double flowers. The Red and the Scarlet Chelone (C. obliyua and barbata) make a pretty appearance in autumn, IX hen flowers are beginning to grow scarce. A new species of chelone, (C. major) has of late been introduced, being figured in the " Botanical Magazine" for November 1816. It is, like the others, an American plant, and perhaps. more hardy than them : it is at the same time the most showy of the genus, producing fine peach-coloured flowers in large and close spikes. German Goldilocks (Chrysocoma linosyris) has bright yellow flowers in the form of an umbel ; when handled, the plant gives forth an aromatic agreeable scent. Tritoma media, although a native of the Cape of Good Hope, endures our winters, with a very slight degree of protection, and produces its beautiful spikes of orange flow ers either in November or in March. Two species of Mo narda should be admitted ; the Oswego tea or M. didyma, which has scarlet flowers, and M. fistulosa, the flowers of which are purple. The perennial Lupine (Lupinus peren nes) is now a rare plant ; but a more showy species, from Nootka Sound, (L. Jvootkatensis) has received the name, and is generally and deservedly cultivated. Of time Poppy genus two perennial species are worthy of attention ; the Oriental (Pa/aver orientalis) with large bright orange flowers, and the Welch, (P. Cambricum) with flowers of a deep yellow. Red Valerian (Valeriana rubra), when of a dark colour, is highly ornamental, and there is a white va riety which forms a fine contrast. Several kinds of Peony, particularly the double dark red and double blush (varie s ties of Peeonia officinalis), and the white-flowered, (P. albi fora), arc magnificent border plants. The smooth-leaved Bell-flower (Campanula nitida) is very ornamental, appear ing for some weeks completely covered with its blue Row ers ; the Dutch, it may be observed, have a double variety of this, which has not yet found its way into our gardens. Of the numerous genus Aster, three species are of proper size for the middle of a border, and shew fine lively blue flowers ; the Italian starwort, or A. amellus ; the alpine, or A. alpinus ; and the A. spectr.bills.