25G THE GARDENER. [Jink 



requirements, render them most desirable plants for spring decoration. 

 C. Imperati is one of the earliest to flower, with lilac and purple- 

 coloured flowers. In mild winters it not un frequently opens its flowers 

 in January. C. biflorus, with white flowers, striped externally with 

 purple, appears in February or March, according to the position and 

 nature of the soil and the season of the year. C. lacteus flowers about 

 the same time as the last-named, the flowers being cream or milky 

 white, — a very pretty but not very generally grown sort. C. reticulatus, 

 witli golden-yellow flowers heavily marked with deep-brown lines at the 

 base of the corolla externally, is the sort which is almost universally 

 to be found in gardens of all classes. C. vernus, from which has sprung 

 nearly all the common varieties, with purple, blue, white, and varie- 

 gated flowers, is simply indispensable in the spring flower-garden. 

 C. versicolor : this is another of the parents of the numerous race of 

 common spring-flowering Crocus, the offspring not being always easy 

 to distinguish from the varieties of the vernal crocus ; but as swelling 

 the bulk and numbers of beautiful spring flowers, they are very im- 

 portant. 



Iris reticulata. — This is one of the most lovely of spring flowers. 

 The deep brilliant violet-purple flowers, elegantly netted with orange, 

 render it one of the most desirable of spring flowers. Unfortunately 

 the plant is not hardy in all localities; and it is only its great beauty 

 and exceptional attractiveness that induces me to notice it in this 

 selection, so that those so favourably situated as regards soil and 

 locality as to be able to grow it should include it among their pets. 

 If the soil and bottom is dry and warm, it will suffer comparatively 

 little from the severest cold it is likely to experience in any part of 

 this country. It prefers a peaty compost, but will thrive well in a 

 light sandy loam on a warm open bottom. 



Sisyrinchium grandiflorum is one of the hardiest of its genus, but 

 should be accommodated with a sheltered dry spot, so that it may be 

 protected from the weather while in flower. The flowers are reddish 

 purple, larger than most other species, and rather freely produced 

 when the plant is suitably accommodated. There is a capital white- 

 flowered variety, named S. grandiflorum album, which forms an 

 excellent companion to the purple. 



Galanthus — tSnowd?*op. — Of this little need be said, except that 

 G. nivalis is so universally cultivated that no necessity remains for 

 urging its more extended cultivation. G. plicatus, the Crimean Snow- 

 drop, is sufficiently distinct in habit and in the greater size of the 

 flowers to merit more extended culture. Notwithstanding it has been 

 many years in this country, it is not plentiful : it does not increase so 

 freely as the older species. The G. Imperati, more recently introduced 

 to cultivation, is yet very scarce. I fail to see any feature in this to 

 justify the laudations bestowed on it when introduced. As a form of 

 Snowdrop, it is in no way superior to G. nivalis, except in the some- 



