182 THE FLORIST. 



annuals before they interfere injuriously with the Squills ; and when 

 the beauty of the latter begins to wane, plant between them some 

 other suitable annual — as Zinnia elegans, China Aster, or the Inter- 

 mediate Stock — plants of which should be kept in small pots for this 

 and similar purposes. We should thus have a succession of flowers 

 of three different colours : first, the orange Erysimum ; then the blue 

 Squill ; and lastly, either the red Stock, or the mixed Zinnia, or 

 China Aster. Many similar arrangements might be made with other 

 plants by those who have the necessary means at command. 



A plant known as the Feathered Hyacinth {Muscari comosum 

 monstrosum) has a very singular flower, the parts of which are trans- 

 formed into long filaments, that, twisting themselves together, form 

 a sort of feathery tuft. The colour is a peculiar shade of blue, and 

 this, combined with its odd form, makes it an attractive little plant : 

 it is generally in bloom in June. Other species of Muscari are 

 pretty, especially botryoides, of which there are varieties wuth dark 

 blue, light blue, and white flowers. 



The spring Snow-flake (Leucojum vernum) is an exceedingly in- 

 teresting March- blooming »plant, the flowers of which closely resemble 

 those of that floral harbinger of spring, the Snowdrop ; and indeed 

 the plant altogether has the appearance of a tuft of Snowdrops that 

 had taken an extra month's growth before blossoming. This species 

 is rare : not so another kind, which blossoms in the end of April and 

 beginning of May, and which greatly resembles the spring kind in 

 appearance, only it is larger in stature. 



The red and the yellow Crown Imperials (Fritillaria imperialis) 

 are well known ; so likewise are several of the dwarf species ; but 

 there is one of the latter class with white flowers (named prcecox by 

 Sweet), which is seldom seen in gardens, although extremely pretty. 



The Dog's-tooth Violet {Erythronium dens canis) is common ; 

 but a variety w ith light-coloured flowers is less known. These two 

 kinds mixed would make a pretty small bed in the end of March and 

 beginning of April, if managed similarly to the Squill before men- 

 tioned. 



Cyclamen coum, C. hederaefolium, and C. vernum, thrive very 

 well in light soil and a sheltered place, such as the front of a green- 

 house wall ; and in a similar situation several species of Oxalis will 

 succeed. The best of these is O. Bowiei, which makes an elegant 

 late bed if the bulbs are potted and excited early in spring, and the 

 plants turned out afterwards. 



Amaryllis Belladonna is a beautiful thing, which, although not 

 to be called absolutely hardy, will thrive where it has only a slight 

 protection. If the bulbs are planted three or four inches deep, and 

 close to the front wall of a plant-house, its lovely pale rose-coloured 

 blossoms will push up strongly about the middle of summer. 



The different species of Ixia, Sparaxis, and Tritonia, are some- 

 times tried in such places ; these, however, to do them justice, ought 

 to be planted in sandy peat and covered with glass during winter, 

 which is an indulgence their great beauty amply entitles them to. 



