This is one of the handsomest of the stone crops, and perfectly hardy, but very late in flowering - so late, in fact, as to be useless in cold late places, except it is assisted by a little artificial heat in spring. It ordinarily grows to the height of about 18 inches, and in that gross condition would be unfit for our purpose. It is too leggy, too high for its breadth in single-stemmed plants, if not dwarfed by some means; but when brought down to half its natural height without any diminution of breadth, it assumes a very neat and symmetrical appearance. This is very easily done in the following way: Assuming that there are some old stock plants on hand, let them be divided about the end of March into single crowns; choose as many as may be required of the strongest crowns, and pot them in rich light loam, and some manure well decayed. Plunge them, after potting, in sand or coal-ashes, in a cold frame, and encourage growth by every means, but slowly, giving plenty of air, and keeping the plants near the light. In the first or second week in May, plant them out in different aspects, some warm and early, and others cold; this will induce different degrees of progress in them.

When the corymbs begin to make their appearance, cut over the stems with five or six leaves below the base of the corymbs; remove the lowest leaf, and insert each stem in the way of a cutting in a small 60-pot singly, in rich but sandy soil, and plunge them in a cold frame till they strike root. The frame need not be kept constantly close; in very hot weather air may be admitted, to keep the temperature as low as possible, and shade may be given in bright days for the same purpose, till the cuttings have made some roots. They should then be gradually inured to more light and air, till the lights may be wholly dispensed with, except in wet weather. They will soon fill the cutting-pots with roots, but must not be allowed to become pot-bound before getting a shift. The sizes of pots we find most convenient to have these plants in are 5 and 6 inch diameter, and we put them in these at once from the cutting-pots. They are afterwards grown on slowly; and when the roots fully occupy the soil, they are treated frequently to weak liquid manure.

After the cuttings are put in, the stems make very little extension in length; the branches of the corymb, however, extend considerably, and the few leaves grow to a large size, till the plants about this time (the middle of September) are about 9 inches high, and as much across the top, and the first batch just opening their flowers. The large glaucous leaves and the dense corymbs of beautiful rosy-purple flowers, taken along with the dwarf neat habit, render the plant pleasing and pretty in any position, either in rooms, or in the front of groups in the conservatory or greenhouse. It lasts a considerable time also in fresh condition, and stands the dry atmosphere of rooms well.