106 



HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



home, or they may have suffered from the vicissitudes of trans- 

 port from the genial climate of Italy. The publisher of this 

 book informs me that he flowered G. imperati the first year 

 in the open borders, from some bulbs procured from Messrs. 

 Collins Bros., and that the blossoms were highly scented, as of 

 elder flowers. 



Flowering period, February and March. 



Galanthus Nivalis. 



COMMON SNOWDROP, EARLY BULBOTJS VIOLET, and FAIR 

 MAIDS OF FEBRUARY ; Nat. Ord. AMARYLLIDACEJE. 



ONE of the most charming members of the British flora ; a 

 native of our fields and orchards, so beautiful as to be beyond 

 description, and, fortunately, so common as to need none (see 

 Fig. 41). It belongs to a noble order of bulbous plants, the 



FIG. 41. GALANTHUS NIVALIS. 

 (One-half natural size.) 



genera of which are numerous, as are the species too, in perhaps 

 an increased proportion. Comparatively few are hardy in our 

 climate, and very few indeed are natives of this country, so that 

 in this respect the Snowdrop, if not a rare flower, is a rare repre- 

 sentative in our flora of the order Amaryllidacece. 



