^50 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



It is not clearly allied to any other known 

 tree, and seems, like the Salisburia, to be 

 a last trace of some long -past geological 

 period. Though fully hardy with us, it 

 grows slowly and only thrives in moist 

 open soils rich in humus. Where 

 Rhododendrons do well the Sciadopitys 

 also flourishes, but it fails completely on 

 wet heavy soils and on those that are 

 poor and dry, and until established is 

 much tried by cold winds. The finest 

 trees in the country are not yet much 

 over 20 feet high, and are to be found in 

 Cornwall, where the rainfull is heavy and 

 the atmosphere moist ; all the same, there 

 are good ones at Kew, Bagshot, and 

 many other places. The leaves vary in 

 length from 2 to 4 inches, coming as 

 whorled clusters of 20 or 30 together, 

 radiating- like the rays of an umbrella, 

 each whorl continuing for three years and 

 separated from its successor by the 

 length of the annual woody growth. The 

 branches are also whorled, making this 

 one of the most characteristic of conifers. 

 The cones are 2 to 3 inches long, borne 

 at the tips of the shoots, and composed 

 of thin imbricated scales. They yield 

 fertile seeds in this country, ripening 

 in their second season. The young 

 leaves are usually a pale yellow green, 

 but when in full luxuriance the mature 

 foliage is of a rich deep tone. The young 

 trees vary in size of leaf, rate of growth, 

 and in habit — some being dense ancl 

 rigid, and others freer and more luxuriant. 

 There is also a variety in which golden 

 or striped leaves mingle with the green 

 ones in a pretty way, but this variegation 

 is apt to disappear. The growth out- 

 warcls is almost equal to that in height, 

 and this spreading tendency is fostered 

 when stock is grown from cuttings instead 

 of seed. With their passion for the 

 miniature, the Japs increase it in this way 

 for their temple gardens, and these trees 

 seldom approach the fine proportions of 

 those growing untended on the mountain 

 slopes of Nippon. Like all conifers, the 

 Sciadopitys should be planted finally 

 while small, larger trees being averse to 

 removal. 



SCILLA. — Beautiful spring flowers and 

 bulbs, mostly natives of the colder parts 

 of Europe or the Alps, and some pre- 

 cious for our gardens. These all flower 

 in spring, and are of the simplest cul- 

 ture. 



In early autunm, when the plants are 

 at rest, they should be planted a few 

 inches deep in any good garden soil, not 

 too heavy. They need not be disturbed 

 for years, except, perhaps, for a slight 



yearly top-dressing of manure. Some 

 kinds, especially the many-coloured varie- 

 ties of the Spanish Scilla, are suited for 

 planting by the sides of woodland walks, 

 or on the margins of shrubberies, and in 

 the wild garden. Offsets may be taken 

 from established clumps during summer. 



Raising Scillas from seed is interesting, 

 though slow. In some seasons seed is 

 plentiful, and many improvements in size 

 and colour have been obtained in this 

 way. We retain the name Scilla as far 

 prettier than the English one of " Squill." 



The following are best kinds : — 



S. amcena {Star Hyacinth). — This 

 flowers in early spring, opening about 

 three weeks after S. sibirica. It is less 

 ornamental than any other kind, for its 

 flowers have none of the grace of S. cam- 

 paniclata and the varieties of S. 7iutans, 

 nor the dwarfness and brilliancy of S. 

 sibirica. The leaves, usually about half 

 an inch across, are about i ft. high, and 

 easily injured by cold or wind, so that a 

 sheltered position is necessary. It is not 

 exactly suited for the choice rock-garden, 

 though worth a place on sunny banks in 

 semi-wild spots. Tyrol. Seeds or separa- 

 tion of the bulbs. 



S. bifolia.— Not so well known as S, 

 sibirica^hut quite as welcome. In the very 

 dawn of spring, and indeed often in winter, 

 this bears rich masses of dark blue flowers, 

 and forms handsome tufts. The flowers 

 are four to six on a spike, and the plant 

 varies from 6 to 10 in. high, according to 

 the soil and warmth and shelter of the 

 position. It thrives in almost any position 

 in ordinary garden soil, the lighter the 

 better, but must be left to seed and in- 

 crease as it likes. Although earlier than 

 6'. sibirica, it does not so well withstand 

 cold rains and storms, and therefore some 

 tufts of it should be placed in warm sunny 

 spots of the rock-garden or sheltered 

 border. Southern and Central Europe. 

 Of all Scillas, S. bifolia is the most vari- 

 able, and most of the garden forms 

 are better than the type. S. pracox 

 is a stronger grower, the flowers larger, 

 more abundant, and earlier. In pur- 

 piireo-cariilca the ovary and base of the 

 segments are rosy-purple, gradually merg- 

 ing into blue, which becomes mtense 

 towards the tips, harmonising with the 

 black and gold-banded anthers. It is a 

 free flowerer, and the blooms individually 

 are nearly as large as a shilling. In the 

 Taurian \-ariety, S. b. taiirica, the flowers 

 are much larger than in S. bifolia, and, 

 with the exception of the white base, 

 greatly resemble those of some of the 

 forms of Cliiondoxa Lucilicc. They \'ary 



