raised or
well-drained site, and this is all it needs; it is not a subject to
increase fast; not only, however, may it be easily divided, but if
properly done after the tops have died down, the smallest pieces will
make good blooming stock the first season.

[Illustration: FIG. 27. COREOPSIS TENUIFOLIA.

(One-sixth natural size; _a_, half natural size.)]

Flowering period, August and September.

Cornus Canadensis.

CANADIAN CORNELL, _or_ DOGWOOD; _Nat. Ord._
CORNACEAE.

This pretty herbaceous plant is sometimes said to be a British species;
its specific name, however, somewhat forbids that opinion. _C. suecica_,
which is British, is very similar in all its parts, and the two may have
been confounded. They flower, however, at very different dates, _C.
Canadensis_ beginning in June and continuing until well into autumn;
during the month of August the flowers are in their finest form and
greatest numbers. It grows 6in. to 8in. high, and notwithstanding its
dwarfness, it proves a most attractive object, being not only
conspicuous for so small a plant, but chastely beautiful.

[Illustration: FIG. 28. CORNUS CANADENSIS.

(One-half natural size.)]

The flowers are exceedingly small, strictly speaking, and are arranged
in a minute umbel in the midst of a bract of four white pink-tinted
leaves; these latter are commonly taken for the petals, and, as may be
seen in the illustration (Fig 28), the real flowers will only appear as
so many stamens; but at their earlier stage these are of a yellowish
colour; later the purplish style becomes prominent and imparts that
colour to the umbel, and, in due time, small fruit are formed. All the
while the bract of pleasing white leaves remain in unimpaired condition;
they are arranged in two pairs, one of larger size than the other,
somewhat heart-shaped and bluntly-pointed, richly tinted at their edges
and tips with a bright pink colour, and forming a flower-like bract
11/2in. across the broadest part. The bract and pedicels of the umbel all
spring from the extremity of a peduncle 11/2in. long, square, but of wiry
character; this grows from the midst of a whorl of six leaves, and
sometimes only four. They are in pairs, one pair being larger than their
fellows, and are from 11/2in. to 2in. long, elliptical-oblong, entire,
smooth, waved, distinctly veined, tinted with pink at the tips and
edges, and of a pale apple-green colour. On the stem, below the whorl of
leaves, there