CROWN IMPERIAL. 



are often used for naturalizing 

 under trees, between shrubbery and 

 in grass. Being quite hardy these 

 kinds increase rapidly and soon 

 make in such spots sights worth 

 travelling to see, or as some one has 

 said •' sunshine in a shady place." 



The soil suitable for the majority 

 of varieties is a loam with a mixture 

 of very well decayed manure or leaf 

 mould, for weak growing sorts or 

 miniatureforms a somewhat sandy 

 soil will be found best. 



Of recent years some very fine 

 hybrid and seedling varieties have 

 appeared, these with the almost 

 endless forms seen in the old varie- 

 ties make the Narcissus deserving 

 of much more general attention as 

 a spring flower. 



Webster Bros. 



Hamilton, Out. 



V\ Vh OI- I'oET s 



X. Pdeticus. 



CROWN IMPERIAL. 



(Fritillari.\ Lmperialis). 



T is impossible to speak too highly 

 of these for every purpose. Whe- 

 ,_l iher as a single specimen in the 

 mixed or shrubbery borders, as 

 pot plants for the greenhouse or exhibi- 

 tion table ; but it will be seen to better 

 advantage planted in clumps on the 

 lawn. The flowers are exceedingly 

 handsome, pendant, bell-shaped, of very 

 tall form, hardy, and bloom early in 

 spring if planted in good sandy garden 

 soil, about four inches deep. Left un- 

 disturbed for a number of years, they 

 will form gigantic and picturesque 



groups. The striped - leaved varieties 

 are worth growing for their foliage, but 

 when surmounted by their coronets of 

 bloom, are very beautiful. The best 

 way to grow for conservatory use, is, 

 one bulb in a five or six inch pot, using 

 nice loamy soil with a small proportion 

 of leaf-mould and a little silver sand. 

 The variety used so much in England 

 for pot work is F. rubra folia aurea 

 variegat a (variegated-leaved Crown Im- 

 perial). 



F. Brunton. 

 Hamilton. 



345 



