ugust.

Lychnis Viscaria Flore-pleno.

GERMAN CATCHFLY; _Nat. Ord._ SILENACEAE.

The double form of the red German Catchfly. The old Latin name for the
type was _L. Angustifolia_, which is still used sometimes, being a good
descriptive name. So much cannot be said of the common name; at any
rate, it sounds odd that one of our native plants should be called the
"German Catchfly," as name is evidently used in the geographical sense.
There are several forms of this species having double flowers, which may
be termed florists' or garden varieties; all are handsome and effective
flowering plants, and last a long time in good form. A very short
description will suffice for these, the flowers of which in many
respects resemble pinks; they are, however, borne on stout stems in long
heads, the petals being full, divided, and bent, each flower an inch
across. The rose-coloured varieties are bright and attractive; the
leaves are in tufts 3in. or 4in. long, narrow and reflexed. These double
Catchflies are very showy in either borders or rockwork; they rank with
our neatest subjects and brightest flowers, and certainly ought to be
widely grown.

They enjoy a stiff soil, but are in no way particular; they should,
however, have a sunny situation. They may be increased by root divisions
in summer or early spring.

Flowering period, June to August.

Lysimachia Clethroides.

CLETHRA-LIKE LOOSESTRIFE; _Nat. Ord._ PRIMULACEAE.

This is a tall-growing and distinct species, newly imported from Japan;
it is perfectly hardy and herbaceous, and differs very much indeed from
its creeping and evergreen relation, the moneywort, or "creeping jenny,"
being more like a tall speedwell, having large leaves; it is so
dissimilar, there can be no likelihood of confounding it with other
species. As a decorative garden plant it is both attractive and
interesting.

It attains a height of 3ft. in favourable quarters, and has both a
wealth of rich foliage and showy one-sided spikes of white flowers; the
latter are neatly formed and continue to develop along the spike for the
length of a foot; the flowers are 1/2in. across, somewhat star-shaped,
having five, and sometimes six, divisions of the corolla, which are oval
and cupped; the short flower stalk is supported by a very narrow
bracteole of equal length--this helps not a little to enrich the yet
unblossomed part of the spike, the buds of which are of the purest
whiteness and pearl-