LILIACE^. 283 



one species of which is at all well known in cultivation, but 

 fortunately it is the best of the little group for garden purposes. 

 It grows well in any ordinarily good garden-soil, but best in 

 that which is light, rich, and well drained. They are most fit 

 for the front lines of mixed borders, the margins of shrubberies, 

 and they may be planted in such points on rockwork as may be 

 favourable for exhibiting their pretty but diminutive display. 

 The roots are best planted in spring. Besides the species de- 

 scribed below, there are 6*. clusiana, with pale-yellow flowers 

 and unchanneled glaucous leaves, flowering in autumn ; and S. 

 colchiciflora, dwarfer than the others, and with yellow flowers 

 appearing without the leaves in autumn ; both are very rare in 

 cultivation. 



S. lutea, syns. Amaryllis lutea and Oporanthus luteus. — 

 The leaves are about 6 inches long, prominently keeled on 

 the under side. The flowers are erect on the top of the scape, 

 solitaiy, and bright yellow, having six bluntish lance-shaped 

 divisions i inch or more in length. The whole plant is about 6 

 inches high. Native of Montpelier and many districts of 

 southern Europe. Flowers in September and October. 



LILIACE^. 



In this natural order there is a very extensive gathering of 

 very diverse plants, varying very much in nearly every character, 

 and agreeing only in the general structure and relative position 

 of the ovary and perianth. By far the largest bulk of the order is 

 made up of hardy and half-hardy plants ; many are bulbous, 

 others are fibrous and fleshy-rooted, and some have creeping 

 underground stems and fibrous tuberous roots. It comprises a 

 large number of splendidly ornamental plants, and many less 

 assuming, but very fragrant, and otherwise desirable subjects ; 

 and there are spring, summer, and autumn flowering species in 

 such wealth as that representatives of Liliacece may never be 

 wanting in any garden in these seasons. 



Allium. — There are one or two species of Onion well worth 

 gro\\ang for their ornamental merits, but a very small selection 

 will suffice. They are easily gro^^^l in any ordinary garden-soil, 

 and propagated by the natural increase of the bulbous roots, 

 and are best adapted for culture in the mixed border or in the 

 margins of shrubberies. 



A. Moly {Gj-eat Yellow Ofiion). — The leaves are produced in 



