t.

Flowering period, April to June.

Geranium Argenteum.

SILVERY CRANE'S-BILL: _Nat. Ord._ GERANIACEAE.

[Illustration: FIG. 44. GERANIUM ARGENTEUM.

(One-half natural size.)]

A hardy perennial alpine from the South of Europe, introduced in 1699.
It is, therefore, an old plant in this country, and is one of the gems
of the rock garden; very dwarf, but effective, as may be seen by the
illustration (Fig. 44). The foliage is of a distinct and somewhat
conglomerate character, besides being of a silvery-grey colour.
Well-grown specimens of this charming Crane's-bill look remarkably well
against dark stones. Its flowers are large for so small a plant, and
wherever it finds a suitable home it cannot fail to win admiration. In
borders of rich soil it is grown to the height of about six inches, but
in drier situations, as on the upper parts of rockwork, it is more
dwarf.

The flowers are fully an inch in diameter when open, cup-shaped, and
striped in two shades of rose colour; the unopened flowers are
bell-shaped and drooping; they are borne on long naked pedicels, bent
and wiry, oftentimes two on a stem; calyx five-cleft, segments concave;
petals five, equal and evenly arranged. The leaves are produced on long,
bent, wiry stalks, the outline is circular, but they are divided into
five or seven lobes, which are sub-divided and irregular, both in size
and arrangement; they have a silky appearance, from being furnished with
numerous fine hairs or down. The plant continues to flower for many
weeks, but, as may be judged, it is, otherwise than when in flower,
highly attractive. To lovers of ornamental bedding this must prove a
first-rate plant. As an edging to beds or borders of choice things it
would be pleasingly appropriate, and, indeed, anywhere amongst other
dwarf flowers it could not be other than decorative.

It thrives well in a good depth of loam, its long tap-roots going a long
way down. If, therefore, it is planted on rockwork, suitable provision
should be made for this propensity. The propagation of the plant is not
so easy, from the fact that it makes large crowns without a
corresponding set of roots, and its seed is scarce and often taken by
birds before ripened. Moreover, the seedlings do not always come true;
still, it seems the only mode of propagation, unless the old plants have
plenty of time allowed them to spread and make extra roots. Latterly I
have gathered the seeds before the capsules bu