HALF-HARDY BULBS 73 



houses, there are several others which are pleasing 

 occupants of frames and cool greenhouses, from which 

 severe frosts are excluded. The least hardy of all is 

 A. caryophyllaea, which should always have a little heat, 

 and does best in a warm greenhouse or stove. Eminently 

 suitable for the frame or the greenhouse without heat 

 are the charming pelegrina, white or yellow, striped 

 with rose, and with a yellow spot on its segments ; and 

 its white variety, alba, a lovely thing. Then there are 

 Errembaultii, a pretty hybrid, white, spotted purple ; 

 pulchra, purple, white, and yellow, with red spots, and 

 brasiliensis, with its reddish yellow flowers spotted with 

 brown. At one time these were more grown, and a 

 renewed demand would bring many other species into 

 cultivation. A light rich soil is suitable for all, with 

 plenty of water while growing but very little afterwards. 



ANDROSTEPHIUMS 



These are pretty bulbous plants resembling the 

 Brodiaeas, and hardy if planted six or seven inches deep, 

 but better grown in a frame. They like a sunny 

 position and a light soil. The species are breviflorum 

 and violaceum. 



BESSERAS 



Few people know the Bessera, which is a pretty little 

 bulbous plant from Mexico, bearing some resemblance 

 to the Scillas, but having bright scarlet or scarlet and 

 white flowers. It grows from one and a half to two 

 feet high, and may be treated similarly to the Babianas. 

 It is one of the many half-hardy bulbs which might be 

 more widely cultivated with advantage. 



BOUSSINGAULTIAS 



B. baselloides is a rather pretty trailing plant which 

 gives clusters of white flowers in late autumn, In a few 



