42 TRICHONEMA. [class III. ORDER I. 



particular care and attention whicli would seem at one time to liave 

 l;cen bestowed iipon it, has long since been given to more siiccessful 

 rivals, si.cli as Tulips, Pinlcs, Carnations, and many others ; thus illus- 

 trating the lines of the immortal Shakspeare, that " Novelty is only in 

 request : and it is dangerous to be aged in any kind of course." The 

 ahove remarks apply to Great Britain only : on the continent, hut more 

 especially in Holland, the Crocus is still cultivated with much care, 

 and many new varieties raised. In this country, it is perhaps the most 

 frequently met with decorating cottage gardens often in the most re- 

 mote situations ; and although the late Mr. Haworth, of Norwich, de- 

 voted much time and care to tlie cultivation of this genus, during 

 which time many new and beautiful varieties were brought into exist- 

 ence, — and Mr. Sabine, while connected with the London Horticultural 

 Gardens at Chiswick, collected many interesting and curious varieties, 

 — yet with these and a very few other exceptions, it is now nearly neg- 

 lected as a florists' flower. By some it is thought that C satknis and 

 C. vermis are the parents of many, or most, of the varieties now in cul- 

 tivation : both produ.ce and perfect their seeds freely, especially the 

 latter, from v.hich many beautiful kinds have been raised. 



The cultivation of the Crocus is amongst the most simple operations 

 of gardening, for, while they may be grown to the highest state of per- 

 fection in a rich yellow sandy loam, they will scarcely grow less luxu- 

 riant in the most sterile soil ; and the prevalent opinion that if the roots 

 are not taken up and replanted once every three or four years, they 

 would gradually rise to the surface of the ground, and be lost, is not 

 substantially correct; for although in some instances this might be the 

 case, it does appear from observation, that many years would elapse 

 before such a result could generally take place. 



In this genus the mode of semination is extremely interesting, and 

 can he seen to great advantage in C. nudiflora. During the time it is 

 in flower, the three-celled ovarium is seated on the summit of th.e bulb, 

 and towards the maturity of the seeds, they are raised on a long slender 

 peduncle, and perfected at the surface of the ground. 



GENUS IV. TRICHONE'MA. Trichoncma. 



Nat. Orel. Irid'e^;. 



Gen. Char. Perianth divided into six deep equal segments ; its iuhe 

 shorter than the limh, and enveloped in a sheath longer than the 

 tube. Filaments short, hairy. Stigma very slender, deeply di- 

 vided, its lobes bipartite, spreading. Capsule three-celled. Seed 

 globose and numerous. — Name from O^jf, pilus, a hair, and un/xa, 

 a filament, or tlircad ; in reference to the pilose or pubescent fila- 

 ments. 



