DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWEKS. 213 



erect. The bulbs are large and fleshy, somewhat solid ; 

 they do not keep well long out of the ground. When 

 the stem dies down, the root should be taken up and re- 

 planted, if necessary ; but this need not be done oftener 

 than once in four or five years. They should be planted 

 four inches deep, in a rich, deep garden soil. It is by 

 some botanists called Petilium imperialis. 



F, Ptfrsica, The Persian Fritillary or Persian Lily, 

 bears a spike of brownish-purple flowers, growing at the 

 top of the stem in the form of a pyramid ; they open in 

 May ; stems three feet high ; bulb similar to the last, ex- 

 cept it is more elongated. To be treated in every way 

 like the Crown Imperial. 



F. meleagris, The Common Fritillary, or Chequered 

 Lily. Is sometimes called the Guinea Hen Flower, on ac- 

 count of its chequered or spotted flowers. There are 

 many varieties , the colors, various shades of brown, pur- 

 ple, and yellow, curiously mottled, spotted or chequered. 

 The bulbs are about the size of those of the crocus, of the 

 character of the other Fritillary bulbs, but more flatten- 

 ed ; stems eight or ten inches high, with one or more 

 gracefujly-drooping, bell-shaped flowers, in April or May ; 

 to be planted in groups in good garden soil, two inches 

 deep. They should not be kept long out of the ground. 



It is a native of England and the South of Europe. 

 It is most probably of the Crown Imperial, that Moore 

 speaks in the following lines ; not the Persian Lily, com- 

 monly so called, since he describes the color as golden : 



" Once Emir ! thy unheeding child, 

 'Mid all this havoc, bloomed and smiled, 

 Tranquil on some battle plain 

 The Persian Lily shines and towers, 

 Before the combats reddening strain 

 Hath fallen upon her golden flowers." Fire Worshipper*. 





