114 NOTES FEOM GAUDEN AND FIELD 



In this way these blooms will last a fortnight. "Without 

 any protection whatever, a dozen different varieties were in 

 flower, in the open border, on 25th January. The winter 

 Heliotrope, Tassilago fragrans, with its almondy perfume, was 

 opening.. The Hellehorus foetidus, a British plant, was also 

 showing its greenish blooms. With slight protection, many 

 plants from November flowered profusely. 



Saxifraga Jortuni, a most interesting Chinese form — sent 

 to this country by a distinguished Berwickshire man, and 

 named after him — flowered in November and December. It 

 makes a striking pot plant, with its long feathery plumes 

 of flowers, keeping well above the foliage. Kept outside all 

 the summer, and put into a cold frame in October, it sends 

 up half a dozen flower spikes, which are most attractive, 

 and the plant anyone can grow. 



The Afghan Lily, Schizostilis coccinea, is another subject 

 which requires a little protection. Planted out all the 

 summer, it may be potted up in October, and placed in a 

 cold frame ; it will flower till Christmas, and later. Out 

 of doors, in Berwickshire, it is unsatisfactory. It forms a 

 very bright bit of scarlet colour, when flowers are scarce. 

 Tritilea uniflora, treated in the same way, makes a good 

 winter flowerer. It is quite hardy here, but flowers later 

 on in spring. When a little care is taken of it, the flowers 

 are much larger, more delicately shaded, and altogether 

 more chaste. 



The Snowdrop was just pushing through the open ground 

 when this serious February storm came, with 19° of frost on 

 the 7th and 8th. Vegetation has got a severe check. The 

 larger flowered Snowdrops from Smyrna and that district 

 of country, as well as the Grecian Islands, are most lovely 

 subjects to grow. Galmdlius Ikmni, from the island of 

 Ikaria, is perhaps the finest of the whole family. When 

 grown in leaf mould and loam, in a cold frame, with no 

 other protection, it is so delicate, the flowers so large and 

 white, and so refined in habit, that it is sure to be cultivated 

 when better laiown. Galanthus Melvillei is another form 

 which resembles our garden favourite, only it is twice as 

 large, and perfectly hardy ; and when I state that its habit 

 is perfect, I cannot say more for our Galanthus nivalis, 



