46 THE BOOK OF BULBS 



more purplish-blue. There are pink, and also white 

 varieties of all these. Cretica is the least effective of 

 the genus, with the exception of the scarce nana, which 

 is a charming, if not showy little flower, almost white 

 and lined with blue. 



The Chionoscillas are hybrids between the Chiono- 

 doxas and Scillas, S. bifolia being one of the parents of 

 nearly all the forms in existence. These are interesting 

 and pretty in their varied shades of blue or pink. Seed- 

 lings from Chionodoxas do not always come true to the 

 parent, but may revert to one or other of its ancestors. 



Muscaris are so numerous, and many resemble each 

 other so closely, that it is needless to attempt to grow 

 more than a selection. Few are prettier than the 

 common M. botryoides, the Grape Hyacinth, which drew 

 from Ruskin words of praise familiar to many. It is 

 very beautiful, and its only fault is its rapid increase. 

 Some of its varieties are prized by those who grow 

 them. The larger of the two white varieties, known 

 as album grandiflorum, and pallidum grandiflorum, 

 with pale blue flowers, are both pretty. 



M. racemosum, the Starch Grape Hyacinth, is also 

 pretty, with its large spikes of deep-coloured flowers ; 

 there is a pink form, and a scarce white one is also met 

 with. A fine Grape Hyacinth is M. conicum, with 

 brilliant blue flowers in large racemes. M. Heldreichi is 

 one of the earliest and best, with its long spike of blue 

 flowers, each broadly margined with white. M. 

 szovitzianum is a small, rather light-blue species of con- 

 siderable beauty. M. armeniacum is a good little Grape 

 Hyacinth. M. latifolium is very distinct, with its broad 

 leaves. 



M. comosum, the Tufted Hyacinth, is an interesting 

 plant, but it is surpassed for the garden by the form 

 monstrosum, which has curiously pretty frizzed blooms. 

 It ought to be more grown. 



