96 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



many of the family are well worthy of garden culture, amongst these 

 being S. bifolia, S. hispanica, S. italica, and S. sibirica. The Scillas 

 form a very charming family of bulbs, very easily grown by the amateur. 

 They are a sheet anchor in the small garden from the time of S. bifolia, 

 the earliest of the family to bloom, until the spikes of S. campanulata, 

 or hispanica, as it is also called, have faded. S. bifolia is a very pretty 

 kind, very hardy, and with spikes of deep blue flowers a few inches 

 high, whilst there are varieties of it, such as the pretty taurica alba 

 or Candida, white, rosea, or carnea, the names indicating the flower 

 colouring. S. sibirica has intense blue flowers, and is very free and 

 cheap. The amateur should plant the bulb in quantity. Of the blue- 

 bell there are white, rose-coloured, and French-grey varieties, but more 

 satisfactory in a confined place is S. campanulata, the Spanish Scilla, 

 which will flourish in town and country gardens alike. It is very strong 

 in growth, with stems eighteen inches high, and deep blue, but there 

 are varieties of it, white, rose, and pink, and all vigorous. The Spanish 

 Scilla will grow in quite a shady place. Put the bulb two inches deep 

 in autumn. 



Snake'S-head. See Fritillary. 



Snowdrop. See Galanthus. 



Sternbergias (Winter Daffodil}. S. lutea, the Winter Daffodil, 

 bears bright yellow crocus-like flowers in autumn, and is supposed to be 

 the " Lily of the Field " of Scripture. The Sternbergias form a beauti- 

 ful group of autumn-flowering bulbous plants. They are not in the 

 least degree difficult to grow. Sometimes newly-planted bulbs will not 

 bloom, but this is frequently due to the imported ones being of very 

 small size, so much so, that two years elapse before they are sufficiently 

 strong to flower. After that period they increase. A light and well- 

 drained soil is needful, and, if heavy naturally, lighten it by adding 

 grit, leaf-mould, and road-scrapings. Plant the bulbs early in August, 

 at a depth of eight inches. A form of S. lutea, called augustifolia, 

 is not so shy flowering as the type. S. I. major is another excel- 

 lent form, with very rich yellow flowers. S. I. fisclieriana blooms in 

 February, or soon after. All the autumn-flowering forms of S. lutea 

 produce foliage at the time of flowering. A very important species is 

 8. macrantha, which is also autumn-flowering, sending up leaves in early 

 spring. The flowers are twice the size of those of S. lutea. S. colchiflora 

 is of smaller growth, but the rich yellow flowers possess quiet beauty. 



Tigridias (Tiger Flowers). These gorgeous flowers cannot be con- 

 sidered hardy except in light soil in especially favoured districts. 

 T. Pavonia is the most familiar kind. Its flowers are of brief duration, 

 but a succession appears, so that their short life is unnoticed. The 

 flowers are about six inches across, and intense scarlet, splendidly 

 spotted and dabbed with crimson. There are beautiful forms, such as 

 grandiflora, which, as the name suggests, is conspicuous for its larger 

 size, and the yellow blotched with red S. conchiftora. T. Pringlei is 

 valuable for its scarlet bloom. Tigridias require a hot, moderately dry, 

 sunny place, such as many borders offer. Generally it is necessary to 

 lift the bulbs in autumn, much as one would a Gladiolus, but in the 



