270 STUDIES IN GARDENING 



The Nerines are beautiful bulbs for the green- 

 house, but Nerine Sarniensis, the Guernsey Lily, is 

 worth trying out of doors in a very warm spot with 

 the same culture as Amaryllis belladonna. It should 

 be carefully protected in winter and disturbed as sel- 

 dom as possible. It is only a bulb for the skilled gar- 

 dener, but its beauty is so great and strange that it 

 is worth some trouble. 



The Pancratiums are little grown in our gardens, 

 but Pancratium Illyricum is a beautiful plant, closely 

 related to the DaflPodil, and hardy, at least in most 

 winters, in the south of England. It should be planted 

 as early as possible, as it flowers in June. It likes a 

 good sandy loam in a well-drained sunny position. 

 The flowers are white, curiously shaped, and sweet 

 scented. Pancratium maritimum also has white 

 scented flowers, but it is not so beautiful as P. Illyri- 

 cum. It flowers a month later. It was apparently 

 known to Parkinson; at least the plant, which he calls 

 Narcissus marinus, or the great white Sea Daffodil, 

 seems to be the same, though his illustration of it is 

 rather conventional. He remarks that "it will not 

 thrive and bear flowers if it be often transplanted, but 

 rather desires to abide in one place without removing." 



Parkinson also speaks of another most beautiful 

 bulb not often seen in our gardens — namely, Or- 

 nithogalum Arabicum, "the Great Starre-flower of 

 Arabia," but he gives it the bad reputation which 

 it still possesses. He recommends that it be kept 

 out of the ground from September to February in a 



