318 BULBOUS-ROOTED FLOWERS 



same treatment as Belladonna, and produces scarlet flowers with 

 a white stripe. 



Vittatum. — Exceedingly pretty. The flowers are white, with 

 a red stripe. Should be treated in the ordinary manner. 



Crocus. — The pretty spring-flowering Crocus, succeeding the 

 Snow-drop in their period of Moom, are very easily grown, 

 requiring only to be planted in a light, but rich, moist soU, and 

 left to grow as they please, giving them an annual top-dressing 

 of very old and most thoroughly decomposed manure. They 

 should be planted in the fall, about three inches deep, and an 

 inch apart each way, and allowed to remain in the same bed for 

 a number of years. Such a bed will improve in beauty for some 

 time, and will only require to be replanted when the bulbs 

 begiu to grow out of the ground — for the yotmg bulb is annually 

 produced upon the top of the old, and in process of time 

 approaches the surface. 



The Crocus beds require the same treatment as , directed for 

 Hyacinths, and indeed, it is desirable to plant them together in 

 the same bed, so that after the Crocus are done blooming the 

 Hyacinths may take their place. They may be also grown in 

 pots in the house, or in water or sand. They should be allowed 

 to niake their root growth in a cool place, and when the flower- 

 buds appear, have plenty of light and air, and not too much heat. 



The Autumn-flowering Crocus are botanically different plants 

 from the other, and are called Colchicimi. These are perfectly 

 hardy, and as easy of culture as the spring Crocus. They throw 

 up their flower stalk and blossom late in autumn, but the leaves 

 and seed appear next spring. 



The Spring Croous are yellow, blue, purple, white, and 

 striped ; the Autumn are purple and white. 



Dahlia. — This is not strictly a bulbous-rooted, but tuberous- 

 rooted plant, which requires treatment so analagous to that of 

 some bulbs, that it seems more natural to treat of it in this 

 connection. 

 The Dahlia prefers a deep, very rich, friable loam, one that is 



