i.] BULB CATALOGUES PLANTING 49 



of Snowdrops, or patches of Crocus, the hardiest of our 

 early spring flowers, or broad bands of Daffodils, or the 

 Poet's Narcissus. While contrasting with them all, and 

 helping in a wonderful way to brighten the effect, different 

 sorts of Squills may be distributed amongst them.* 



Bulbs should be bought early, and it is well to send 

 one's orders as soon as possible after the catalogues 

 are received, as the merchants act upon the principle 

 of " first come, first served " ; besides, it is good to have 

 borders filled in the early autumn, so as to insure strong 

 matured blooms in their season. In ordering bulbs, it is 

 well to bear in mind that some are best fitted for potting 

 purposes and others for bedding. Without pretending to 

 supply an exhaustive list of well-known bulbous plants, 

 I shall endeavour to suggest a few of the less familiar 

 as well as some of the common sorts, which even an 

 inexperienced amateur may easily grow. 



When bulbs are to be planted in grass, it is easy to 

 dibble them into holes made by a crowbar, but the better 

 plan is to raise the sod from each patch, loosen the soil, 

 drop in the bulb, shaking round them a shovelful of 

 sand, and then covering with the grass sod as before. 



The most attractive harbinger of spring is the Iris 



* Amongst bulbs which are peculiarly suitable for grass are the 

 Colchicurns, which send up their rank foliage in Spring, but reserve 

 all the beauty of their bloom for autumn. Colchicurns are for the 

 most part a newly found class, and when more extensively grown they 

 will add to the autumn attractions of the garden many of the 

 mysterious charms of the spring. 



D 



