Encyclopaedia of Gardening 43 



Insert an inch deep and 3 ins. apart in autumn. Sardensis is a 

 Gentian blue, quite distinct from the typical Luciliae. 



Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger). Not a true bulbous plant, 

 but none the less one of the most beautiful of those handled by bulb 

 dealers. The best time to plant it is September, and those who 

 know their business take care to order it with their earliest bulbs, 

 and to plant a foot apart before the summer has gone. It thrives 

 in most soils, and enjoys shade. Madame Fourcade is a fine variety, 

 and so is maximus; both have white flowers. If the clumps can 

 be covered with handlights there ought to be no doubt of a supply 

 of stainless flowers at Christmas. The Lenten 

 Rose (Helleborus orientalis) may be considered 

 with the Christmas Rose, to which it forms a 

 succession. The foliage is brighter in colour, 

 and the flowers are larger and more varied. 

 There are many varieties. 



Clivia (Imantophyllum). A great favourite 

 for greenhouse and room decoration. House 

 gardeners esteem the Clivia highly, not only 

 because it has handsome habit and bright 

 flowers, but because it is not affected by arti- 

 ficial illuminants. The plants thrive in the 

 stock bulb compost, and bloom best when . 



they become pot-bound, so that they should I Drainage. 2 Soil, 

 not be repotted frequently. When they are 



growing freely large quantities of water should be given, with 

 liquid manure twice a week. Miniata and its varieties may be 

 chosen. Propagation is by offsets. 



Colchicum (Meadow Saffron). Pretty autumn-flowering bulbs. 

 Autumnale is the best known, but speciosum is a finer plant. They 

 thrive in cool places and make pretty clumps. 



Crocus. One of our most popular cheap early bulbs, good for 

 beds, borders, margins, and grass, but not effective in pots. The 

 golden yellow is the best, but must be protected from birds by 

 stringing black threads above it, otherwise the effect may be spoiled. 

 King of the Blues and King of the Whites are two fine varieties; 

 Purpurea grandiflora is a good dark. Set 6 ins. apart when lines 

 are being formed. Many of the species are worth planting on the 

 rockery, notably vernus, Sieberi, iridiflorus, and zonatus. 



Crown Imperial (Fritillaria imperialis). A very handsome plant, 

 allied with the common Fritillary, but of totally different habit, 

 growing 2 to 3 ft. high, and bearing a cluster of large, drooping 

 flowers. A red and a yellow may be got, also a duplex variety 

 called Crown-upon-Crown. These are splendid plants for the 

 border, and should be set 18 ins. apart. 



Cyclamen. The hardy Cyclamens are much smaller than the 

 varieties of persicum which we see grown in pots for green- 

 house decoration, but they are just as beautiful in their way; 

 in fact, it would be difficult to find anything in the way of hardy 

 flowers more charming than a colony of coum, europaeum, or Nea- 

 politanum established in a shady spot. To get the best result a 



