THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



515 



indica, a dwarf species, free-flowering and 

 pretty. Division and seed. 



CRINUM.— Afew South African species 

 of these are hardy, and very beautiful. 

 One of the best-known and the hardiest 

 is C. capensc, a handsome bulbous plant, 

 2 to 3 ft. high, flowering late in summer, 

 the large funnel-shaped pink blossoms in 

 umbels of ten or fifteen blooms on a stout 

 stem. There are several varieties — 

 album., pure white ; riparium., deep 

 purple ; fortiiin/in, white ; and striatum., 

 striped pink and white ; and fine hybrids 

 have also been raised — all good in borders 

 or small beds, with groups of hardy plants, 

 especially those that flower in late summer 

 and early autumn ; or for grouping and 

 massing near the margin of water. Few 

 plants repay better for a sheltered and 

 warm position, and deep rich soil, with 

 abundance of water in summer, and in 

 very cold situations a little pile of leaves 



Crinum Moorei album. 



may be placed over the roots in winter ; 

 by planting the top of the bulbs 6 in. 

 deep there need be no fear of the weather. 

 Division and seed. 



C. campattu/atutn is also hardy, but as 

 it scarcely ever flowers it is not worth 

 growing in the open. C. Moorei and 

 ornatum are in warm districts hardy, and 

 certain hybrids of recent origin may prove 

 hardy. 



CROCUS.— Of a genus of nearly seventy 

 species, it is surprising that only three or 

 four are generally used for garden decora- 

 tion ; and these — C. aureus and C. vermis 

 and their varieties, and perhaps one or 

 two other species — have been in culti- 

 vation at least three hundred years. 

 Crocuses flower at a time when every 

 flower is of value ; and we do not doubt 

 that ere long species recently introduced 

 will add largely to our means of garden 

 decoration during the dull months from 

 late autumn to early spring. 



Cultural Directions seem almost 

 superfluous ; but there are a few points 

 to which it may be convenient to refer. 

 The genus must be viewed as in succes- 

 sion, from the beginning of August till 

 April ; but of these only the earlier 

 autumnal, or the distinctly vernal, species 

 can be relied upon for open-air decoration. 

 Although all are hardy, those that flower 

 in November, December, and January are 

 so liable to injury by frost and rain that 

 they are practically worthless. 



Crocuses are easily multiplied by seed, 

 which should be sown in July as soon as 

 ripe, though germination will not take 

 place till the natural growing period of 

 the species. Seedlings take from two 

 to three years to arrive at maturity, and 

 should be left for the first two years un- 

 disturbed in the seed-bed, and then 

 taken up and replanted. Holland, with 

 its rich light alluvial soil, and Lmcoln- 

 shire, with its " Trent warp," have for 

 many generations been the sources from 

 which the English market has been 

 supplied with the varieties of the three or 

 four species grown in English gardens. 

 The last five or six years have put us in 

 possession of nearly the whole of the 

 known species, and we must commend 

 them to the Dutch and Lincolnshire bulb- 

 growers. 



For the less robust and less floriferous 

 species a brick pit is necessary. The 

 bottom of this should be well below the 

 level of the ground, and it should be filled 

 up with about i ft. in depth of fine river 

 silt or sandy loam, the surface of which 

 should be a little below the level of the 

 adjacent ground. Proper drainage is 

 essential, but Crocuses delight in a uni- 

 formly moist subsoil during their period 

 of growth. It is convenient to separate 

 the different species by strips of slate or 

 tiles, buried below the surface, the corms 

 being planted about 3 in. deep. A 

 mulching of rotted Cocoa-nut fibre or 

 finely sifted peat keeps the surface moist, 

 and prevents the loam from clogging or 

 caking on the surface. At the time of 

 the maturity of the foliage, generally 

 about the end of May, water should be 

 withheld and the bed covered up and 

 allowed to get quite dry till the end of 

 July, when a copious watering may be 

 given, or the pit may be exposed to rain. 



Of the earlier autumnal species suitable 

 for the open border the following may be 

 enumerated for successional flowering : — ■ 



C. Sc/iaroJa?ji, orange ; early in August. 



,, vallicola., straw-coloured ; late in 

 August and early in September. 



„ iiudijlorus, blue ; September. 

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