Among low shrubs, or with other tall things,
will prove suitable quarters for it.

[Illustration: FIG. 47. HELIANTHUS ORYGALIS.

(One-eighth natural size; flower, one-fourth natural size.)]

Any kind of soil will do, shelter from the wind being the most
important, and perhaps the only point to study when planting. It is
propagated by root divisions when the tops have withered.

Flowering period, September and October.

Helleborus Abchasicus.

ABCHASIAN HELLEBORE; _Nat. Ord._ RANUNCULACEAE.

This is a native of the Caucasus, and in this climate, where it has been
cultivated about fifteen years, it retains its foliage through the
winter in a green state. It is a free grower, and flowers well, having a
somewhat slender habit. It is sometimes described as having green
flowers, but more often as having purple ones. It may be useful to
remember that there are varieties, and it is likely that, even in the
so-called green flowers, traces of purple will be seen. Not only is it a
fact that this species, like _H. purpurascens_ and _H. niger_, is far
from fixed as regards depth of colour, but it is said to be one of the
parent forms of some of the fine hybrids. These considerations may help
to reconcile the apparently conflicting descriptions as regards bloom
colour.

The flower stems are 12in. to 18in. high, distantly forked twice, and of
a purplish colour. The flowers are produced in threes and fours on each
of the branchlets, are inclined to purple, over 2in. across, and
nodding; sepals oval, waved, and set well apart at the outer ends;
petals scale-like, green, and numerous; anthers a beautiful delicate
yellow; leaves of the flower stems few, small, and of irregular form,
notched, finely serrate, and of a purplish-green shade; in their young
state more especially does the purple prevail on the under surface--they
are, in fact, nearly the colour of the flowers. The radical leaves are
many, nearly a foot in diameter, of a dark green colour, and leathery
substance; the leaflets are rather distant from each other, forming a
noble pedate leaf; they are somewhat one-sided, slightly waved, sharply
and regularly toothed nearly all their length. From this description it
will be inferred that this is one of the most distinct species, and such
is truly the case. Moreover, it has a bold and rich effect. The older
radical foliage, with its long stalks, is for the most part spread on
the ground, when the new erect flower st