THE SNOW DROP. 47 



THE CROWN IMPERIAL, FRITILLARY, 



(Fritillaria.) 



SHOWY bulbs for the border, mostly attaining a height 

 of from two to three feet, though F. meleagris and its 

 varieties are dwarf. This species, and one or two others 

 like it, have had much attention paid them by florists 

 in Europe, who have succeeded in obtaining many beau- 

 tiful varieties by seed, and now these flowers occupy a 

 prominent place in their catalogues. 



They delight in very rich soil, frequently dug and well 

 pulverized previous to planting. The bulbs may be 

 placed in the ground either in autumn or early spring, 

 covering them with about three inches of earth. 



In the blooming season, should the weather prove 

 dry, the ground must be frequently well soaked with 

 water, that the growth may be sufficiently vigorous, or 

 the flowers of the following season will be deficient in 

 size. When the stems begin to decay, the bulbs should 

 be taken up, but not dried to any extent, it being far 

 preferable to preserve them till the following planting 

 season in sand or light and partially dried earth. F. 

 imperialis is the well-known Crown Imperial, a native of 

 Persia, of which there are several varieties. They will be 

 greatly benefited by mulching with leaves to the depth 

 of six inches, just before the ground freezes up. They 

 can remain a number of years without being taken up. 



THE SNOW-DROP, (Galanthus.) 



G. nivalis, the common Snow-drop, for its poetical 

 associations as the ever-welcome harbinger of spring, is 

 universally cultivated, and by potting and very gentle 

 forcing may be made an interesting ornament to the 



