MILLA 



LILY OBDEB 



BB0DIJ5A 827 



easily done when they are grown in 

 large pots or tubs, in which they flourish 

 and flower profusely year after year 

 without any trouble being taken with 

 them beyond giving plenty of water during 

 the late spring and suminer months. 

 Indeed, there are few plants which give 

 such good results in return for such bad 

 treatment. In the southern parts of Eng- 

 land and Ireland the plants may be grown 

 out of doors in strong, rich, weU-drained 

 soil. In the event of severe frosts a little 

 covering with hay, straw, mats &c. is 

 little trouble. In such locahties the 

 plants would look beautiful by the margins 

 of ponds, lakes &c., either by means of 

 their arching bright green leaves or 

 trusses of bright blue flowers. The plants 

 are easily increased by dividmg the root- 

 stocks in early spring or autumn. If seeds 

 can be obtained they should be sown as 

 soon as ripe, but five or six years will 

 elapse before they produce flowering plants. 



A. umbellatus. — A beautiful S. African 

 plant with leathery, strap-shaped, bright 

 green leaves l|-2 ft. long, and erect 

 stoutish scapes 2-3 ft. high, carrying 

 iimbels of numerous bright blue flowers 

 during the summer and autumn months. 

 The following are forms of the type : — 

 albidus, rather small pure white flowers, 

 requires rest in winter, as the leaves die 

 down ; aureus, a rarely seen form with 

 yellow-striped leaves ; flore plena, a fine 

 double-flowered form, rarely seen ; Leicht- 

 Uni, flowers deep hyacinth -blue ; maxi- 

 ■mus, flowers bright blue in large umbels ; 

 there is also a white form of this quite 

 as large ; minor, a pretty variety, smaller 

 in every way than the type ; mooreanus, 

 a distinct smallish form with short, nar- 

 row leaves and small deep blue flowers ; 

 and variegatus, with leaves almost entirely 

 white, except for a few green bands; 

 rarely seen. 



Culture dtc. as above. 



MILLA. — This genus now consists of 

 only one species ; others that formerly 

 were in it are now included under 

 Srodima. 



M. biflora. — A beautiful Mexican plant 

 having rather small corms or ' bulbs ' 

 with more or less fleshy roots, and few 

 radical, very narrow, linear, grassy, glau- 

 cous leaves. The pretty salver-shaped 

 flowers, snowy white within, greenish 

 outside, appear in August on a simple 

 naked scape about 6 in. high, usually 2-4 



in an umbel, rarely one. The blossoms 

 continue to appear for a long time in 

 succession, and remain open during the 

 night. The 6 stamens protrude from the 

 mouth of the perianth tube. 



Culture cmd Propagation. — This 

 species requires to be grown in warm 

 sheltered spots where it can be continually 

 under supervision, as it is likely to be 

 crowded out or smothered with ranker 

 growing plants. It flourishes in a well- 

 drained, rich, sandy loam, and may be 

 increased by offsets from the corms, or 

 more slowly by seeds. 



BREVOORTIA (Crimson Satin 

 Flower ; Califoenian Fiee Ceackbe). — 

 A genus with only one species : — 



B. Ida-Maia {B. coccinea; Brodicea 

 coccinea). — A pretty Californian plant, 

 having tunicated corms, narrow linear 

 leaves, and an erect slender flower-stem 

 2-3 ft. high, bearing a loose umbel of 

 4-12 blooms in June and July. The 

 perianth is bright red or scarlet, over 

 1 in. long, with an oblong tube, and short, 

 ovate, yellowish-green, spreading seg- 

 ments, and only 3 fertile stamens inserted 

 on the corona in the throat. 



Culture and Propagation. — This spe- 

 cies likes a rich hght loam, and the corms 

 may be planted in September, and left 

 undisturbed for four or five years. To 

 obtain a fine effect several corms should 

 be planted within 3 or 4 inches or a httle 

 more of each other, and when the slender 

 flower-stems appear they should be kept 

 erect by means of slender twigs. 



The plants are increased in autumn by 

 means of offsets from the corms, and also 

 by seeds which should be sown as soon 

 as ripe, and produce flowering plants in 

 about 3 or 4 years. 



BRODIiEA (Califoenian Hyacinth). 

 A genus closely related to Brevoortia, 

 having plants with more or less tunicated 

 corms (or rarely bulbs), narrow, radical 

 leaves, and umbels of flowers on the top 

 of a simple scape. Perianth fuanel-beU- 

 shaped, narrowed at the base, dUated 

 above, with 6 more or less equal, erect 

 or somewhat spreading lobes. Stamens 

 6, aU perfect, or 3 alternate ones reduced 

 to staminodes. 



Culture and Propagation. — Brodiseas 

 are easily grown in fairly rich and well- 

 drained sandy loam in warm, sunny parts 

 of the flower border or rock garden. They 

 are very showy when in bloom, and the 



