1 



186 NAT. ORDER. SPATHACE^. 



varieties with double white flowers, with purple-cupped flowers, and 

 with yellow-cupped flowers. 



Propagation ami Culture. All the difierent species and varieties 

 of this extensive genus may be increased with facility, by planting the 

 olT-set bulbs from the roots ; and by sowing the seed in order to pro- 

 cure new varieties, which is chiefly j^ractised for the fine sorts of 

 Polyanthus Narcissus. For tliis pvupose the seed should be care- 

 fully saved from the best and most curious plants after being perfect- 

 ly ripened. 



The seed should be sown after it becomes ripe, in or about the 

 beginning of August, in shallow boxes or flat pans perforated with 

 holes in the bottom, and filled with fresh light sandy earth, being cov- 

 ered about a quarter of an inch deep with fine sifted mould, and placed 

 in such situations as are only exposed to Jie moniing sun, till the 

 beginning of whiter, when they should be removed to have the full 

 sun, and be sheltered from the severe weather. In the spring, when 

 the plants appear, they should be occasio ally watered in dry weather, 

 and be screened from the mid-day heat, remo^-ing them into cooler 

 situations as the warm season advarces, keeping them free from all 

 sorts of weeds. Towards the latter part of summer, when their 

 stems decay, the surface mould of the boxes or pans should be stir- 

 red or wholly removed, and some , -esh mould sifted over the plants, 

 being careful not to disturb the roots, and keeping them dry in a 

 shaded situation. 



They should have the samef- management annually, till the period 

 of their leaves decaying in the third summer, when the bulbs shoiUd 

 be taken up, and the larges. separated and planted out on raised 

 beds of light fine mould '^ rows six inches apart, and three or four 

 distant in them, having .e depth of two or three inches. They 

 should afterwards be ^vept clean ; and when they show flowers, so 

 as to ascertain their properties, they may be removed, and managed 

 a* other bidbous roots. 



