418 THE PRINCIPLES OF FLORICULTURE 



697. Outdoor culture. Grape hyacinths are excel- 

 lent for planting in a rock garden or along a rustic path. 

 They are also good for naturalizing in grass and for borders 

 of other bulb beds. They should be planted so that the 

 top of the bulb is about two inches below the surface of 

 the soil. Otherwise, they are treated the same as are 

 other bulbs. 



698. Indoor culture. Grape hyacinths produce excel- 

 lent effects when many bulbs are planted closely together 

 in four- or five-inch pans. They are then put into frames 

 as are other bulbs. After bringing them into the house, 

 they should be started at a low temperature in full light, 

 so that the leaves will develop slowly. Otherwise, they 

 will spindle and become unsightly. 



699. Snowdrops, botanical classification. Order, 

 Amaryllidacese ; genus, Galanthus (Greek for milk flower) ; 

 species; nivalis, common snowdrop; Elwesii, giant snow- 

 drop. 



700. Snowdrops, botanical characters. Snowdrops are 

 the smallest and daintiest of bulbous plants, blooming 

 often early in March, and having drooping white flowers, 

 each petal having a heart-shaped spot of green. 



Habitat. Europe and Asia. 



The culture is the same as for Muscari. 



701. Sparaxis, botanical classification. Order, Iri- 

 dacese ; genus, Sparaxis (Greek, referring to the cut char- 

 acter of the spathes which distinguishes the genus from 

 Tritonia) ; species, tricolor. 



702. Sparaxis, botanical characters. These plants 

 somewhat resemble the freesia, but are less popular. 

 They lack the strong fragrance of freesias. 



Habitat. Cape Colony. 



The culture is the same as for Muscari. 



