306 LILIACE^. 



inner face, the three inner ones purple and white, — and a deep 

 purple spot marks the base of each petal. Found about Nice, 

 Florence, and the south of France. Flowers in April and May. 



T. montaha {Moimtam T.) — A very brilliant and distinct 

 species, growing about 9 inches high. It has slender leafy 

 stems. The leaves are narrow lance-shaped, sharply pointed, 

 and deeply glaucous and channeled. The petals are egg- 

 shaped, sharp-pointed, deep crimson or scarlet, and spreading. 

 They open in early summer. Native of Persia. 



T. praecox {EarIy-flowe?'ing T.) — This species grows about 9 

 inches high. It has stout erect stems. The leaves are broadly 

 lance-shaped, concave, and fringed with hairs. The flowers are 

 erect ; the petals concave ; the three outer furnished with 

 short sharp points, and fringed with hairs — the three inner are 

 blunter, and destitute of the fringes. All are bright scarlet, and 

 open in April. Native of Italy, about Provence. 



Veratrum. — A small genus of plants, remarkable for the 

 unique style of their leaves and the elegance of their branching 

 racemose inflorescence. Individually the flowers are small, 

 but collectively they are, in combination with the peculiar char- 

 acter of the leaves, striking and effective when well placed 

 among other mixed herbaceous plants. They are adapted for 

 background plants in any position, being tall and bold in char- 

 acter, and for foliage or " subtropical " gardening they are 

 among the best subjects we have of a hardy nature. They are 

 suitable also for naturalising in warm well-drained positions in 

 open woods and about shrubberies. A deep, rich, well-drained 

 loam is the soil they prefer above all others ; but, provided the 

 drainage and depth are good, the texture and components are 

 of less moment. In poor thin soil, however, they never develop 

 their foliage well; and as the foliage is their principal attraction, 

 they should not be attempted in such soil. They are propa- 

 gated by division and by seed — the latter should be sown as 

 soon as possible after ripening in small pots in a cold frame, 

 when they will germinate freely the following spring; but 

 if kept long in dry store after they are ripe, they lose vitality. 

 Division is best done in early spring, and should be carefully 

 gone about, taking care to secure fibres with each croAvn. 



V. album ( White Hellebo7'e). — The common name is not a 

 very correct one to apply to a plant of this natural order, but 

 its leaves ground to powder yield the White Hellebore which 

 is so potent a remedy against caterpillar on the gooseberry. 

 The plant grows about 3 or 4 feet high. The leaves are ellip- 

 tical, much plaited and ribbed, and do\TOy on the under side. 

 The flowers are small, consisting of six spreading, greenish- 



