The Gardener's, New Director. 259 



Fernal Colchicum. 



IN company with the Cyclamens may be planted In 

 clumps the Vernal Cclchicunis, of which there is 

 but one Tort, botanically called Colchicum venium flifpa- 

 nicum, flore rubroj C. B. which makes a very hand- 

 fome appearance with its purplifh flower; for their in- 

 creafe, let them not be removed oftener than once in 

 three years; but it will be very proper to lay new 

 earth over them every Novemherf before the frofts fet 

 in, which will preferve their roots, and make them 

 blofTom well in fpring. 



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 Dens Cants and Fritillaries. 



THE Dog's Tooib Violet f or Dens canis and Fritilla- 

 ries, are to be next treated of. Of Dens canis: 



there are three forts ; of which the white flowered with 

 the broad leaf is the mofl common in Britain : its creep- 

 ing leaves covering the ground, make a very pleafing 

 appearance in the fpring, and is by far preferable to the 

 others, whofe colours are neither ftrong nor florid : I 

 always planted them two rows in a bed, and between 

 each row, one of the different forts oi Fritillaries , which 

 are mentioned in Mynheers Voorhelms catalogues at Flaer- 

 lem in Holland, that the ground in fuch beds might be 

 equally employed, and appear beautiful at the fame 

 time ; for the Fritillaries flower much about the fame 

 time with the Dens canis, the former being naked in its 

 flalk, and carrying no leaves near the ground, v/hilft the 

 low leaves of the Dens canis adorn and embellifli the fur- 

 face of the beds, and the flowers of the Fritillaries feem 

 to rife from the variegated leaves of the Dens canis. 



The Fritillaries and the Dens canis are not to be moved 

 oftener than once in two years ; obferving, about the be- 

 ginning of November, every year, to give their beds 

 a covering of frefli paflure-ground, or from the alleys 



of 



