HERBACEOUS PLANTS VS. BEDDING PLANTS. 69 



are hardy and easy of cultivation. There is an infinite variet}'^ 

 of them, presenting slight variations in form and color appreci- 

 able only b}' the expert, but the following are distinct, and will 

 give the best results. All of them, as well as the otlier species 

 of bulbs that I ma}' name, can be found in any English, and in a 

 few American, catalogues : — 



Narcissus bicolor Horsfieldii; 

 " " Empress; 



" " Emperor; 



" maximns; 



" obvallaris, or Tenby Daffodil — a splendid flower; 



" incowparahilis Stella; 

 " " plenus; 



" " aurantius plenus ; 



" " sulphureus plenus ; 



" poeticus ornatus — the best of this group ; 

 " " plenus; 



' ' cernuus plenus ; 



It will pa}' to plant Narcissuses in well-prepared soil, and give 

 them yearly dressings of manure. The best time to lift and divide 

 them is in August, when they are completely at rest. 



With the Narcissuses we can associate in groups Scilla Sibirica, 

 of the most brilliant blue, which looks at its best when planted in 

 clumps of a hundred bulbs or more ; also Scilla 7iiitans and S. 

 campanvlata, which bloom later ; and Tulipa Gesneriana elegans 

 and T. Greigi, all magnificent species. These are hardy, and do 

 not need to be lifted yearly, like the early Tulips. They are, more- 

 over, far more graceful as garden flowers. 



With them we can associate some of the long-stemmed Tulips, 

 which seem to have gone out of fashion along with the queer but 

 striking and artistic Parrot Tulips. Here and there can be planted 

 Crocuses, including C. speciosus, C. serotinus, and C. satiuus, and 

 near them the seldom seen autumn-flowering Crocus (Culchicum 

 autumncde). These are all invaluable, the flowers being large, 

 showy, and abundant. 



Adonis vernalis, a dwarf perennial plant, which sends out its 

 bright yellow flowers almost before the snow disappears, may be 

 associated with these. Chio7wdoxa Lucilice, or Glory of the Snow, 

 is a brilliant spring-blooming bulb, somewhat akin in habit to 



