TO THE FLOWER GARDEN. 71 



hi a nursery-bed, to acquire blooming strength. The bulbs 

 do not require to be taken out of the ground, except for the 

 purpose of replanting ; and this should be done in June or 

 July, while they are quite dormant. In planting the bulbs 

 may be set about three inches under the surface. They grow 

 best in light loam. They are desirable from the freshness 

 and spring-like nature of their growth, when vegetation 

 generally is beginning to languish. For ornamental pur- 

 poses, preference should be given to the double-flowered 

 variety. 



COLEONEMA. [Rutaceae.] Elegant greenhouse ever- 

 green shrubs, formerly associated with Diosma, and requiring 

 the same kind of treatment. Soil, sandy peat. Propagated 

 by cuttings in sand under a bell-glass. C. rubra and C. 

 gracilis are the best. 



COLLAXIA. [Amaryllidaceae.] Beautiful fleshy-rooted 

 greenhouse herbaceous perennial, related to Alstromeria. Soil, 

 j)eat and loam. Increased by division. 



COLLINSIA. [Scrophulariaceai.] Pretty dwarf annuals. 

 C. hiculor, a very showy plant in clumps, where it is to be 

 conspicuous in three or four parts of a figure. The culture 

 is simple ; in ordinary cases the seeds may be sown in patches 

 in the borders in March, April, and May : eight or ten plants 

 will be sufficient to form a patch. When they are to form 

 a mass of flosvers, as in the parts of a geometrical garden, 

 they ought to be not more than three inches apart. For this 

 it is best to sow thinly where they are to flower, and when 

 they are up, thin the plants, so that they may be from two 

 to three inches from each other: this gives the appearance of 

 a complete mass of flowers when the spikes of bloom rise. 

 Sowing in pots should be begun in March, and eight or ten 

 plants are enough for a pot. These should be placed in a 

 greenhouse, and as they grow, if any two should be too close 

 together, remove one. VMiere patches of this flower are to be 

 at certain distances round borders, the balls may be turned 

 out from the pots as soon as tbe weather will be secure. 

 If this cannot be done they must be sown on a resen-e bed, 

 and transplanted when large enough, or else raised and kept 

 in pots till they are w^anted ; for either of which purposes 

 they should be sown in March on a very gentle hotbed, and 



