110 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWBIiH. 



The Siberian squill is oue of the hardiest of our choicest 

 kinds of spring'-liowering' hulbs. It has hut to Ije planted 

 in a Well-drained sandy soil in the autumn^ and in the 

 early sjjriug it will show its lovely blue flowers in j'ro- 

 f usioiij a delight and surprise to all beholders. As a j^ot- 

 plaut it is invaluable, and it requires as such only the same 

 treatment as crocuses, hyacinths, and tulijis, all of which 

 demand a somewhat rich and very sandy soil. When i^lanted 

 in rings or clumps, squills ma)' be left untouched for three 

 years, and then it will be as well to lift, divide, and replant. 



To make a lengthy essay on the out-door cultivation of 

 the Siberian squill would be to waste an opportunity. In 

 the few words already before the reader the suljject is prac- 

 tically disjiosed of. But now we may turn to a proposal of 

 the plant itself, for we seem to hear it say, " Why not 

 associate me with the other choice spring flowers that are 

 grown under glass?''' Ah! why uot ? Well, to dispose 

 of that matter, the Siberian squill and the two-leaved squill 

 {Scilla hi folia) are two of the sweetest spring flowers known. 



One of the cheapest and least troublesome of delights 

 for a lover of hardy plants is a projjcr " alpiue house,'' in 

 which a number of early flowering bulbous and fibrous- 

 rooted plants, having all the proper alpine character, can be 

 flowered in early spring. Such a strneture should have a 

 low span roof resting on brick walls, with side lights open- 

 ing as ventilators. A central walk through is a primary- 

 necessity, and on each side of this should be a solid bed of 

 earth, supported by the outer walls and the walls on each 

 side of the central path. The whole thing may be on a 

 small scale, but suffleient headroom and width of path 

 should lie provided, and the height of the side beds above 

 the walk should be such that the plants can be seen and 



