May 26, 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



675 



Scillas 



The genus Scilla has about eighty species and their 

 homes are in the temperate parts of Europe, Asia and 

 Africa. Many of the species are not common in culti- 

 vation. Some are quite hard} while others require the 

 protect inn of a cool greenhouse. 



This short story will onlj enumerate some of the besl 

 hardy kinds. Their culture is very simple, requiring a 

 Light, rich soil and thriving in full sun or in a partially 

 shady position. Plant in the fall when the bulbs are 

 at rest placing them in the soil to a depth of about four 

 to six inches. When once planted they do so much bet- 

 ter if not disturbed for several years. They are pleas- 

 ing subjects for the margin of the hardy plant border, 

 and few plants are more satisfactory when they are 

 properly placed than colonies of these in the rock gar- 

 den. Some of the species are excellent for naturalizing 

 in the grass. 



The Siberian squill, Scilla sibirica, is one of our 

 earliest spring flowers and it is certainly a gem. What 

 would we do in early spring without its sheets of porce- 

 lain blue? It makes a fitting companion to the snow- 

 drops and crocuses which all flower about the same time. 

 We ought to adore these dwarf messengers who have 

 come through frost and snow to tell us their story that 

 dreary winter is almost gone and that spring is once 

 more at hand. The first crocus, the first snowdrop, the 

 first squill and the first dandelion are always greeted 

 with exclamatory expressions. Often have I thought 

 and wondered where and how have these children of the 

 snow accumulated heat out of the cold earth to make 

 them send forth their leaves and flowers while mostly 

 all other plants are sleeping contentedly and waiting for 

 more propitious weather. Early spring-flowering plants 

 and late fall-flowering plants have unquestionably attri- 

 butes which ought to put them in the first rank amongst 

 hardy plants. 



We have a white variety of the Siberian squill but it 

 is not as vigorous or floriferous as the species. How- 

 ever, for variety's sake it is worth having in a collection. 



Scilla bifolia is not as common or yet as showy as the 

 Siberian squill. It attains about the same height and 

 requires the same cultural conditions. The Spanish 

 squill, Scilla hispanica, is an old garden plant and has 

 been in cultivation for a very long time. However, 

 although it is antiquated it is not over planted in this 

 country yet. The photograph shows the handsome plant 

 it makes in an ordinary hardy border. It produces a 

 good crop of flowers right through the month of May, 

 beginning to flower earlier in warm sheltered positions 

 than it does in less congenial quarters. The flowers are 

 produced gracefully above the dense green foliage and 

 makes an imposing plant when several bulbs are planted 

 together. If it receives liberal treatment its flower 

 stems will attain a height of from twelve to fifteen 



inches. It is the finest of the blue flowers we have in 

 early May. There are several varieties of this plant; 

 one which is very good has white flowers; carnea has 

 flesh-colored and rosea has rose-colored flowers. In the 

 rock garden it shows to good advantage and is not par- 

 ticular either, doing well in full sun or partial shade. 



The common blue-bell, Scilla festalis, is a very com- 

 mon plant in England, hut is not grown very much here 

 although it is quite hardy. It is lovely when natural- 

 ized and there is no reason why it should not be planted 

 plentifully as the bulbs are inexpensive. The flowers 

 are produced well above the foliage and are arranged in 

 a drooping fashion on one side of the flower stem. It is 

 pleasing in tufts on the margin of the border and also 

 gives fine effects in the rockery. This species has also 

 many varieties in different shades of color. 



There are several other varieties but these are the 

 most satisfactory in our gardens. 



Cattleya Schroederae Hercules 



We are indebted (o Messrs. Lager & Hurrell, of Sum- 

 mit, X. .1., for the photograph of the elegant cattleya 

 ■which furnishes our frontispiece for this issue. The 

 flower measures over eight inches in diameter. The 

 form is simply perfect. Sepals and petals are white 

 and. unlike the type, are of a firm, waxy texture which 

 makes the flowers stand out boldly. The disc of the 

 lip is bright orange-yellow, surrounded by a zone of 

 ■white almost imperceptibly suffused with pale lavender. 

 It is declared to be the grandest and in all respects 

 most nearly perfect Cattleya Schroederas ever shown. 



