leared of earth and divided into
single crowns; these should be replanted in positions deeply dug, and
where they are intended to remain, being carefully arranged without any
doubling up. After such pains have been taken with so well-deserving a
plant, there will be little to fear for its future, no matter how severe
the winter may prove.

_S. g. album_ is a white-flowered variety, of which, however, I have had
no experience. Since these lines appeared in serial form, a lady,
cultivating a good collection of choice hardy flowers, has informed me
that this variety is very fine, and in every way commendable.

Flowering period, March to May, according to positions or climatic
conditions.

Soldanellas.

_Nat. Ord._ PRIMULACEAE.

Diminutive herbaceous alpine perennials. This genus is small in number
of known species as in size of specimens. They are found in very high
altitudes in the Tyrol, Switzerland, and Germany; but they are easily
managed even in our foggy climate, as is shown by the fact of the
various species being grown in all collections of alpines; and, indeed,
no collection can be said to be complete without such gems--they are
great favourites, as they well deserve to be. They flower in early
spring, some with one, and others more than one flower on a stem.

The flowers are very small, broadly bell-shaped, and of a feathery
appearance, from the fact of their petals being finely divided. The
foliage is also small, nearly round, of good substance, and in all the
following species very bright green; the leaf stalks are long and wiry,
and form neat and handsome little tufts, independent of the flowers,
which, I may add, do not last more than five or six days.

_S. alpina_, smaller in all its parts, but otherwise much resembling _S.
montana_--has leaves the size of a shilling piece, flowers bright blue,
mostly two on a stem.

_S. Clusii_, from Germany, is smaller than _S. alpina_; in other
respects similar, with the exception of flowers, which are purple.

_S. minima_ (smallest). Very tiny in all its parts, many of its little
thick leaves being only 1/4in. across; flowers purple, single on the stem,
which is only 1/2in. to 1in. long.

_S. montana_ (Fig. 98) is the largest species of all--leaves the size of
a half-crown piece, flowers bright blue, four or five on a stem, 5in.
high. It has other distinctions, of a minute character, from the smaller
species, but by difference of size alone it may be