Presidfut's Address. G9 



Some plants like shade, as the species of Cydanien, Prhaida, &c., 

 aud should be planted on the parts suitable for them ; others, again, 

 like to grow in the full sun, such as the Gentians, Androsaces, &c. ; 

 these, again, should be suited according to their requirements. 



Among the first flowers to show in spring are the Snowdrops, of 

 which there are several varieties. The largest flowered is said to lie 

 a variety of Galanthus nivalis called Mflvillei, raised from seed by 

 Mr Melville, Dunrobin. A friend of mine flowered it last spring, 

 and he said it was the largest snowdrop he had ever seen. The 

 iinest, however, that I have grown is G. Elwesii, which Mr Maw 

 was kind enough to send me several years ago, and of which I 

 have two varieties. The most common has large globular flowers, 

 in the other case they are more elongated, but with much darker 

 green markings inside. This is a very handsome species, and 

 should be largely grown. G. pliratus, the Crimean snowdrop, is 

 also well worth a place ; it has very broad reflexed leaves. G. 

 imperaton'iis has a very fine flower; it seems only a variety of 

 nivalis, but the markings of green in the inside are much darker, 

 which give it a rich appearance. G. latifolia, or Redout i, has only 

 small flowers, but the leaves are very broad, and the glaucous hue 

 common to all the other forms is wanting in this. Early flowering 

 and rare bulbs should if possible be planted in a part of the rockery 

 by themselves, until they become plentiful, as they flower early, and 

 consequently ripen their leaves early in summer. "When mixed up 

 with summer flowering plants, the dormant bulbs are very apt to 

 be rotted off when watering the other plants. Bulbs after the leaves 

 are ripened require no water. 



Spring Crocuses are also abundant. The finest I have are 

 Crocus Imperati and C. Seiberi, both easily grown and free flowering 

 plants. Iris rcticidata is a lovely spring bulb, along with its variety 

 /. Kreelaiji, which flowers a fortnight earlier than the type. They 

 are both desirable plants, and easily grown in light soil. Scillas 

 are very showy, from the bright blue colour of the flowers. And 

 the CMonodoxa, recently introduced by Mr Maw, is even more so 

 when ■well established. Their blue flowers are larger and more 

 saucer-sliaped than the SrAllas. Grape Hyacinths are also showy ; 

 there are many sorts of them, and all should find a place on the 

 rockery. I use all these small flowering bulbs for putting into 

 the corners and crevices of the rockwork, as they do not interfere 

 with the plant in its own division; their gay coloxirs set off the 

 rockery at a time when flowers of any kind are much appreciated. 

 Erytlironiums are beautiful plants, especially the bright yellow 

 E. amcricamiw, though not so free in flowerijig as some of the 

 others. E. ijitjonf''.urn is the m<ist stately plant of tliis genus ; 



