439 



leaves numerous, much shorter than the scape, two or three inches 

 long, linear, obtuse, channelled, spreading, scape from three or four 

 to six inches in height, round, upright, striated, below whitish green, 

 above purplish, appearing villose when magnified. Sometimes there 

 is a second scape: the flowers six, ten, or even twenty in a corymb, 

 Avhich is soon lengthened out into a raceme. It is a native of 

 France, Spain, &c. 



It is observed, that " most old writers distinguish a larger and a 

 smaller sort; but these differ merely in size: and some have noticed 

 a variety with while flowers." 



Culture. — These plants may be increased by offsets from the 

 roots, and by seeds, but the first is the better mode. 



The offsets may be taken off every other year, and be planted 

 out at the time the leaves and stems decay. 



The seed should bo sown in the autumn, on light mould, in 

 shallow boxes or pans, in the same manner as the Hyacinth, the 

 same circumstances being attended to in the culture. The plants 

 are long in flowering in this way, except in the last species, which 

 should have a dry loamy soil. 



The first sort, as being a native of the sea-shores, cannot be well 

 propagated in other situations, as the plants are apt to be destroyed 

 by the frosts in winter, and to grow indifferently in the summer 

 season from the want of salt water. 



Tliey afford variety in the beds and borders of pleasure-grounds. 



