COL 



COL 



mi. cecded by berries, which are first green, then 

 red, and, when fully grown, change to black, 

 and become ripe. 



Culture. — These plants are raised from the 

 berry, sown as soon as possible alter become 

 ripe, in pots of light rich earth, half an inch 

 deep, plunging them in the bark-bed, and giving 

 light sprinklim:sof water once a week. The plants 

 soon appear, which, when about three inches 

 high, should be pricked out into separate small 

 pots, giving a little water, and replunging them 

 in the bark-bed, shade from the sun being gi\ en, 

 till they have taken root, and repeating the water- 

 ings moderately, as there may be occasion, with 

 a due admission of air. 



It is also capable of being propagated by 

 layers and cuttings, which, though they emit 

 roots rather reluctantly, deserve the trial ; plant- 

 ing them in pots of good earth, plunging them 

 in the bark-bed, and supplying them duly with 

 water and occasional shade. 



These plants should afterwards remain con- 

 tinually in the stove, having water given two 

 or three times a week in summer, and once or 

 twice a week in winter, and fresh air admitted in 

 common with other exotics of the hot-house ; and 

 as thev advance in growth, be placed in larger pots 

 in proportion, shifting them into fresh earth every 

 year or two, trimming oft" all dry matted roots on 

 the outside of the balls, as also part of the old 

 earth ; then placing the plants in the pots again, 

 filling them up with fresh compost, such as 

 good light kitchen garden earth, giving them 

 water, and immediately plunging the pots in the 

 bark -bed. 



As cleanliness is essential in the culture of 

 this shrub in the stove ; when it has contracted 

 much dust or filth, all the branches and leaves 

 should be well washed, by sprinkling water 

 over them. 



And as it is frequently attacked by insects, 

 particular attention is necessary, when these ap- 

 pear, to wash and clean every branch and leaf 

 separately, repeating it as often as necessary ; but 

 when very numerous, it is a sign of ill health 

 and weakness in the plant, and proceeds chief- 

 ly from the root ; in which case, it is advisable 

 to shift the plants into entire fresh earth, and 

 replunge them into the bark-bed. 



This is a very ornamental plant for the hot- 

 house, especially in autumn and winter, when 

 in fruit. 



COLCHTCUM, a genus comprehending 

 plants of the perennial dowering bulbous-root- 

 ed kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Hexandria 

 Trigynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Spathacece. 



The characters are : that there is no Calyx 

 (except scattered spathes) : the corolla six-parted : 

 tube angulated, rooted ; divisions of the border 

 lance-ovate, concave, erect : the stamina consist 

 of six subulate filaments, shorter than the corolla: 

 anthers oblong, four-vah ed, incumbent : the 

 pistillum is a buried germ within the root : styles 

 three, thread-form, length of the stamens: stig- 

 mas reflex, channelled : theperiearpium is a three- 

 lobed capsule connected internally by a suture, 

 obtuse, three-celled, sutures gaping inwardly: 

 the seeds many, nearly globular, and wrinkled. 



The species cultivated are : 1 C. autitmnulr, 

 Common Meadow Saffron ; 2. C. montanum, 

 Mountain Meadow Saffron; 3. C. variega/um, 

 Variegated Meadow Saffron. 



The first has a bulbous root, about the size 

 and shape of the tulip, but not so sharp-point- 

 ed at the top; the skin or cover is also of a darker 

 colour : these bulbs are renewed every year ; for 

 those which produce the flowers decay, and new 

 roots are formed above : the flowers come out 

 in autumn ; these arise with long slender tubes 

 from the root, about four inches high, shaped 

 like those of the saffron, but larger : the num- 

 ber of flowers is generally in proportion to the 

 size of the roots, from two to seven or eight : in 

 March the green leaves appear, these are com- 

 monly four to a full-grown root ; they are folded 

 over each other below, but spread open above 

 ground, standing cross-ways : they are of a deep 

 green, and when fully grown are five or six 

 inches long, and one and a half broad. The 

 seed-vessel comes out from between the leaves 

 in April, aud the seeds ripen in May, after which 

 the leaves soon decay. It is a native of most 

 parts of Europe. 



There are varieties, with white flowers ; with 

 striped flowers ; with broad leaves; with striped 

 leaves ; with many flowers ; with double purplish 

 flowers; with double white flowers; with many 

 white flowers. The double sorts are chiefly cul- 

 tivated in the garden. 



The second species has a smaller root, with 

 a darker coat : the leaves come up soon 

 after the flowers decay, and continue green all 

 winter; long, narrow, and spread on the 

 ground, decaying in June : the flowers are 

 of a reddish purple colour, and appear from 

 August to September. It is a native of Spain, 

 &c. 



In the third the leaves are smaller than those 

 of the common sort, for the most part three in 

 number, and of a paler and fresher green colour, 

 lying close upon the ground, broad at the bot- 

 tom, a little pointed at the end, waved about the 

 edges : the root is not so large as that of the 

 common sort : the flowers are smaller, but 



