204 ORNITHOGALUM, OR STAR OP BETHLEHEM. 



Rein Blanche, and Morgenster. All these varieties are very 

 suitable either for the parlour or greenhouse, and may be 

 planted in pots, from October to December, from two to three 

 inches deep. The double Roman Narcissus are very sweet- 

 scented ; if these be planted in pots, or put into bulb glasses 

 in the month of October, they will flower in January and 

 February. 



Polyanthus Narcissus are more delicate than Hyacinths 

 or Tulips ; when they are planted in the open border, they 

 should be covered about four inches with earth, and before 

 the setting in of Winter, it is advisable to cover the beds 

 with straw, leaves, or litter,' to the depth of six or seven 

 inches, and to uncover them about the middle of March. 



ORNITHOGALUM, OR STAR OF BETHLEHEM. 



There are about fifty varieties of these bulbs, natives of 



the Cape of Good Hope, some of which are from three to 



five inches in diameter, and shaped similar to a pear ; 



others are much like Hyacinth bulbs. Among those culti* 



fated in America are the O. lacteum and the O. aureum ; 



the former produces fine white flowers, and the spike is 



about a foot in length ; the latter produces flowers of a 



golden colour, in contracted racemose corymbs. The 



O. maritimum, or Sea Squill, is curious ; from the centre of 



the root arise several shining glaucous leaves, a foot long, 



two inches broad at the base, and narrowing to a point. If 



kept in a greenhouse, these are green during Winter, and 



decay in the Spring : then the flower-stalk comes up rising 



two feet, naked half way, and terminated by a pyramidal 



thyrse of white flowers. 



These bulbs are generally cultivated in the greenhouse, 

 and require a compost consisting of about one-half fresh 

 loam, one-third leaf mould, and the remainder sand, in 

 which they may be planted in September. When cultiva- 

 ted in the garden, they should be planted four or five inches 

 deep, and protected with dung, &c. They produce their 

 flowers early in June* 



