CAMASSIA 



LILY OBDEB 



CAMASSIA 841 



before the others have developed. The 

 variety multiflora has longer scapes and 

 more numerous flowers than the type. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species may be grown in pots, and lends 

 itself readily to forcing in greenhouses if 

 treated in the sapie way as recommended 

 for Hyacinths. In the open air they 

 like a rich sandy well-drained loam, and 

 may be increased by separating the offsets 

 any time from July to October, replanting 

 them 2-3 inches beneath the surface of 

 the soil. Bulbs that have been forced in 

 greenhouses may be also planted in the 

 flower border, and in a couple of years 

 will regain their pristine vigour and 

 increase freely. 



Owing to its dwarfness and earliness 

 this species is particularly valuable for 

 the decoration of the rockery, edges of 

 borders, or any other part of the garden 

 where it may be associated with Snow- 

 drops, Crocuses, Winter Aconites &c. 

 There is a beautiful white variety named 

 alba. 



CAMASSIA (Qttamash). — A small 

 genus of North American plants with 

 esculent tunioated bulbs, radical linear or 

 strap-shaped leaves, and blue, purplish 

 or whitish flowers in loose racemes on a 

 simple leafless scape. The perianth con- 

 sists of 6 nearly equal, distinct, spreading 

 segments, finely veined. Stamens 6, 

 attached near the base of the segments. 



Culture am,d Propagation. — Camassias 

 grown in masses are ornamental plants 

 for the ilower border, somewhat resembling 

 the St. Bernard's Lily (Anthericum, 

 Liliago) in habit. The flowers are pro- 

 duced freely and are valuable for cutting. 

 They grow well in ordinary good garden 

 soil, but prefer a deep well -drained 

 sandy loam and leaf-soil, in rather warm 

 sunny spots facing south or south-west, 

 and in partially shaded positions. They 

 do not like wet heavy soil, especially 

 in winter, when the bulbs are at rest. 



They are increased by separation of the 

 offsets from the full-grown bulbs any time 

 from July to September. They may be 

 either replanted immediately or stored 

 in sand until about September, but should 

 not be planted in this country later than 

 October. In suitable positions the flower- 

 spikes are generally strong enough to 

 hold themselves erect without the aid of 

 stakes, but in localities where strong winds 

 are prevalent it is desirable to give the 



stems a support of some kind to prevent 

 them being blown about. 



C. Cusicki. — A native of the Blue 

 Mountains of Oregon and California, 

 having large rosettes of broad, glaucous 

 leaves and flower- stems about 3-4 ft. high, 

 bearing racemes of large, delicate blue 

 flowers with spreading segments. There 

 is another species from the Bocky Moim- 

 tains called C. Mngehnanni, which has 

 bulbs very much larger than the other 

 species mentioned. The leaves are 9-12 

 in. long, and about 1^ in. broad, and 

 glaucous above, while the bright blue 

 flowers are borne in a loose raceme. 



This fine plant is not yet well knovsm, 

 but promises to be an excellent border 

 plant. It has very large bulbs. 



Culture do. as above. 



C. esculenta. — A native of British 

 Columbia with white ovoid or roundish 

 bulbs, the outer coats of which are of a 

 smooth chestnut-brown. The leaves are 

 linear, channelled, and somewhat flexuous, 

 about 1 ft. long. The scapes, 1^-3 ft. 

 high, appear from May to July, bearing 

 10-20 blue flowers about 2 in. across in 

 loose racemes. The sixth segment is 

 separated distinctly from the other five, 

 and each one has about 5 distinct deeper 

 blue nerves. There is a white-flowered 

 variety,_/Zore aZ6o,and also one with deeper 

 blue flowers than the type, known in 

 gardens as atroccsrulea ; atroviolacea is 

 similar, and^r^ooa; is an early -flowering 

 form. 



In its native country the inhabitants 

 eat the bulbs of this species, which, it 

 appears, are floury and of a good flavour 

 when baked or roasted like Potatoes. The 

 flower spikes will last a long time cut, 

 and the buds will expand after the stems 

 have been placed in water. 



Cultiire dc. as above. 



C. Fraseri. — A native of the eastern 

 United States with sharp-pointed, narrow 

 leaves, and flower-stems about IJ ft. high, 

 bearing 10-30 pale blue flowers, each 

 about 1 in. across, in loose racemes in 

 summer, often later than C. esculenta. 



Culture So. as above. 



C. Leichtlini (ChlorogalumLeichtlini). 

 This is a handsome species from British 

 Columbia and California, and is a taller 

 and more vigorous grower than C. escu- 

 lenta, of which it is considered by some 

 to be only a variety. The flower- stems 



