638 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Dog's Tooth Violet (Erythronium). 



or March. When Eremurus are flowering freely 

 the roots should not be disturbed. After the 

 initial planting, or if replanted, they may 

 take from two to four years before flowering. 

 The roots are very distinct, and with their 

 long, fleshy thongs may be likened to a star- 

 fish. Plant them 3 to 4 feet apart, cover 

 with 4 or 5 inches of soil, and in winter place a 

 mound of coal ashes or leaves round each. Give 

 several applications of weak liquid manure 

 during early summer. 



Eremurus is propagated by division of the 

 roots and by seeds. Sow the latter as soon as 

 ripe in autumn in a box of light, sandy soil 

 placed in a greenhouse or frame. Prick off the 

 seedlings when large enough into deeper boxes. 

 About eighteen months from the time of sowing 

 the seedlings may be planted outside on a 

 sheltered border ; they take from four to six 

 years to reach the flowering stage. This may 

 seem a long time to wait, but if a few seeds 

 are sown each year, when once the first plants 

 bloom, there will be fresh ones to flower 

 annually. 



The best kinds. It is said that there are 

 thirty species of Eremurus, but not more than 

 five or six of these are generally grown. E. 

 robustus produces a tall spike, sometimes 10 feet 

 high, clothed with rosy-pink blossoms in late 

 May and June ; Elwesianus is a variety A\ ith 

 deeper coloured flowers ; E. Himalaicus has a 

 spike 5 to 8 feet high, with pure white flowers 

 in May and June ; E. Himrob, as the name 



suggests, is a hybrid between 

 these two species, and has 

 blush-tinted flowers ; E.Bungei 

 has citron-yellow blooms borne 

 on a spike 3 to 5 feet high 

 during June and July. E. 

 Olgae reaches 8 feet high, 

 having white flowers tinged 

 with brick-red. In E. Warei 

 the flowers are fawn, shaded 

 orange - red, on spikes 5 to 

 7 feet high ; it blooms in July 

 and August. During the last 

 few years large numbers of 

 beautiful seedlings have been 

 raised, and as these are on sale 

 } at fifteen shillings a dozen 

 J roots, Eremurus should be 

 more extensively cultivated 

 during the next few years. 

 Erythronium (Dog's Tooth 

 V i o 1 e t). The Erythroniums are 

 pretty, low-growing bulbous plants 

 flowering in early spring. They 



The Crown Imperial (Fritillaria 

 imperialis). 



