ORNITHOCxALUM 



THE BULB BOOK 



OKNITHOGALUM 



good and well-drained garden soil, 

 and should be planted in bold masses 

 for effect. They are easily increased 

 by offsets. The more tender kinds 

 are grown in sheltered spots or in 

 greenhouses ; or they may be grown 

 in the open air during the summer 

 months, after which the bulbs may 

 be lifted and stored in sand or soil 

 until the following spring. 



Amongst the most useful kinds 

 for garden purposes mention may be 

 made of the following : — 



O. arabicum. — A fine species from 

 S. Europe and N. Africa, having 

 large white pear - shaped bulbs, 

 thickish narrow leaves 12 to 18 



Fig. 2Si.—Ornithognlu7n arabicum. (A.) 



ins. long, and clusters of large 

 creamy-white flowers on stems 1 to 

 2 ft. high in June and July. The 

 bright yellow anthers and the shining 

 black ovary are conspicuous features 

 (Ihf. Mnrj. t. 728.) As this is rather 

 tender, it is safer to lift the bulbs in 

 winter in bleak localities. It is an 

 effective plant when grown for con- 

 servatory decoration. 



The species called O. corymbosum, 



having white flowers keeled mth 

 green, is very closely related {Bot. 

 M<vi. t. 3179 ; Bot. Keg. t. 906). 



O. aureiun, from the Cape of Good 

 Hope, has yellow flowers, often 

 orange-tinted, in summer {Bot. Mag. 

 t. 190 ; Red. Li/, t. 439). O. flavis- 

 simuin is very similar (Jacq. Ic. t. 

 436). Rather tender. 



O. capitatutn. — Another South 

 African species -with large trusses of 

 white flowers {Bot. Jfag. t. 5388). 



O, lacteum— A very old South 

 African species, having from twenty 

 to fifty Avhite flowers in dense clusters 

 {Bot. Mag. t. 1134 ; Bot. Beg. t. 274 ; 

 Bed. Lil. t. 418). 



The variety conicum has narrower 

 leaves and petals, and the flowers 

 are borne in looser clusters {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 3538). Tender. 



O. nutans.— This is a free-gromng 



^^^ 



-Ornilhogal 



and perfectly hardy species, which 

 produces its loose racemes of droop- 



387 



