SCIADOPITYS. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



SCILLA. 



715 



trench in good rich soil. In summer 

 it was deluged with water when the 

 weather was dry, and in autumn a 

 splendid crop of strong spikes of bloom 

 resulted. In North Hants, with a 

 hot, dry, light soil, I never could grow 

 it well, although I always kept it 

 watered at the roots during summer." 

 Increase by seeds, or division in 

 spring. 



SCIADOPITYS VERTICILLATA 



(Umbrella Pine). A stately evergreen 

 tree attaining a height of upwards of 

 100 feet in its own land, and forming 

 a dense pyramid of verdure of remark- 

 able beauty. 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 Rhodo- 

 dendrons 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 rainfall 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 

 twenty or thirty 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 and 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 variega- 

 tion is apt to disappear. The growth 

 outwards 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 

 precious for our gardens. These all 

 flow r er in spring, and are of the simplest 

 culture. In early autumn, 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 varieties 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 sum- 

 mer. 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 follow- 

 ing 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 5. cam- 

 panulata and the varieties of 5. nutans, 

 nor the dwarf ness and brilliancy of 5. 

 sibirica. The leaves, usually about half 

 an inch across, are about i foot 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 5. 

 sibirica, but 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 inches 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 increase as it likes. 

 Although earlier than 5. 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 



