ORNITHOGALUM, OR STAR OF BETHLEHEM. 89 



coloured cups ; besides these are some white and citron- 

 coloured, as the Lima, and others entirely white, as the 

 Rein Blanche, and Morgenstcr. All these varieties are very 

 suitable either for the parlour or greenhouse, and maybe 

 planted in pots, from October to December, from two to three 

 inches deep. The double Roman Narcissus are very sweet- 

 scented ; if these be planted in pots, or put into bulb glasses 

 in the month of October, they will flower in January and 

 February. 



Polyanthus Narcissus are more delicate than Hyacinths 

 or Tulips ; when they are planted in the open border, they 

 should be covered about four inches with earth, and before 

 the setting in of Winter, it is advisable to cover the beds 

 with straw, leaves, or litter, to the depth of six or seven 

 inches, and to uncover them about the middle of March. 



OR1NTHOGALUM, OR STAR OF BETHLEHEM. 



There are about fifty varieties of these bulbs, natives of 

 the Cape of Good Hope, some of which are from three to 

 five inches in diameter, and shaped similar to a pear; 

 others are much like Hyacinth bulbs. — Among those culti- 

 vated in America are the O. lacteum and the O. aureum ; 

 the former produces fine white flowers, and the spike is 

 about a foot in length ; the latter produces flowers of a 

 golden colour, in contracted racemose corymbs. The 

 O. maritimum, or Sea Squill, is curious ; from the centre of 

 the root arise several shining glaucous leaves, a foot long, 

 two inches broad at the base, and narrowing to a point. If 

 kept in a greenhouse, these are grten during Winter, and 

 decay in the Spring : then the flower-stalk comes up rising 

 two feet, naked half way, and terminated by a pyramidal 

 thyrse of white flowers. 



8* 



