Spring Crocuses 



move on to the frames. They have four divisions, but 

 two only are ablaze, for the other twain are devoted 

 to autumnal varieties, and now contain leaves only, save 

 for a few rare and tender bulbous plants that share their 

 home, Romuleas that came masquerading as Croci, and 

 such people. In the upper part of the frames are squares 

 of twenty-five to fifty of some Crocus that has increased 

 well, but nearer the front we get almost as many labels as 

 plants, for here are the seedlings selected during the last 

 few seasons, and the miffy, peevish, no-pleasing-'em kinds 

 that simply won't increase ; but among them are some of 

 the loveliest, and you will see at a glance that there is a 

 very large preponderance of varieties labelled as chrysan- 

 thus seedlings, and yet no two are quite alike. When 

 I see them here I long to be transported by magic carpet 

 to the Bithynian Olympus, where C. chrysanthus is found 

 in its most variable mood. George Maw records in his 

 magnificent monograph of the genus that it was from 

 thence he brought the white form he named albidus, the 

 white with blue external markings which is his variety 

 coerulescens, and best of all the sulphur form now known 

 as variety pallidus, which has proved the best seed parent 

 of all, and given us the race of Anakim of this species 

 which I have mentioned. 



They originated at Haarlem in that centre of creation 

 of new plant forms, the Zwanenburg Nursery, where Mr. 

 Van Tubergen and his two nephews, Mr. John and Mr. 

 Thomas Hoog, always have some fresh revelation of beauty 

 awaiting the visitor, and frequently delight me by most 

 kindly posting me some new development among Crocuses. 

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