Gardening for Amateurs 



633 



Saffrons. From September to November, 

 when most plants are going to rest for the 

 winter, these handsome bulbs push up their 

 giant Crocus-like blossoms, the leaves not 

 putting in an appearance until early spring. 

 Plant the bulbs about 3 inches deep during 

 July and August. They are suitable for 

 planting in grass or among Mossy Saxifragas 

 and similar plants which form a green carpet 

 for the flowers, and so prevent the latter from 

 being splashed by soil in wet weather. Avoid, 



flesh colour, opening as a rule in December 

 or January, and C. libanoticum (montanum), 

 which produces its rose and white flowers in 

 spring. 



Crinum. Though many people regard 

 the Crinum as a greenhouse plant, several 

 of the South African kinds thrive better 

 out of doors than in pots under glass. In 

 the southern and western counties they 

 form glorious clumps in the open. In the 

 midlands and north it is necessary to select 



The Meadow Saffron (Colchicum autumnale). 



however, planting among choice alpines, as 

 the leaves are very strong and coarse. 

 Colchicums thrive in most soils except heavy 

 clay. Some of them ripen seeds freely, but 

 they are chiefly increased by offsets in July 

 or August. The most popular are . C. 

 autumnale, rosy-purple, vars. album, white, 

 and roseum, deep purplish-rose ; C. byzan- 

 tinum, lilac-mauve ; C. giganteum, very 

 large, lilac ; C. speciosum, the best of all the 

 Meadow Saffrons, immense rose-purple blos- 

 soms there is a lovely white variety album ; 

 C. variegatum, flaked rosy-purple and white. 

 Two later-flowering sorts are C. Decaisnei, 



a warm, sheltered position, and to protect 

 the plants in winter. Crinum bulbs will 

 grow in most well-drained garden soils, yet 

 they respond in such a ready manner to 

 liberal cultivation, that a prepared bed of 

 rich loamy soil should be made for them, 

 especially as they may remain undisturbed 

 for years. This should be not less than 

 3 feet deep, as the base of the big, club-shaped 

 bulbs must be put down to a depth of at 

 least 2 feet as a protection against frost. A 

 suitable compost consists of loam, to which 

 are added some leaf -mould, old mortar 

 rubble, and well decayed manure. All things 



