ame, "silver moss," which it is
often called by, most fittingly applies; but perhaps its colour is the
main feature of notice. The meaning of its specific name is grey, to
which it certainly answers; but so peculiar is the greyness that a more
definite description may be useful, in giving which I will quote that of
Decandolle and Sprengle: "The _lavender_-blue is a pale blue (caesius);
it is mixed with a little grey." This exactly answers to the colour of
the pretty Saxifrage under notice, and it is far from a common one in
foliage.

The flowers differ but slightly from those of other encrusted forms of
the genus, but they are a creamy white, arranged in small panicles on
short and slender stems. They are sparingly produced in May and June.
The leaves are 1/4in. long, aggregate or in miniature rosettes; in shape,
linear-oblong, recurved, and keeled. The upper surface is concave,
having marginal dots, evenly disposed; the dots are bright and
excavated, and some of the leaves (those of the stems) are scale formed.
The glaucous or lavender-blue colour is beautifully enlivened with the
crystal dots. Its habit reminds one of the more distinct forms of
lichens, and, when it is grown with suitable companions on rockwork, it
has a happy way of showing and adapting itself in such situation;
besides, its colour then shows with more effect.

[Illustration: FIG. 82. SAXIFRAGA CAESIA MAJOR.

(1, single rosette, natural size.)]

There is a variety of this species not yet in general cultivation, and
it cannot be too strongly recommended to lovers of the finest forms of
rock or alpine plants. It is called _S. c. major_ (see Fig. 82). The
name at once suggests the main difference from the type, but there are
other features quite as marked as that of its extra size in all its
parts; the foliage is more crowded, which seems to cause the largest
leaves to become more erect, and the habit, too, perhaps from the same
cause, is ball shaped; the small rosettes of thick encrusted leaves,
from the manner in which they are packed together, form a rigid mass,
which differs widely both in detail and effect from any other Saxifrage
I know.

These dwarf subjects are best suited for rockwork; but another plan, now
much practised, is to grow them in pots. This in no way implies that
protection is given or needed--these sturdy subjects are far better
fully exposed--but the pot system has advantages; when so planted, the
roots are more likely to be