152 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAEDENINO-. 



with the three outer se- 

 pals tinted with fawn — 

 colour, and feathered 

 with deep purple, while 

 the inner sepals are of a 

 clear deep lilac. 



C. iridiflorus— a beautiful 

 autumn species, distinct 

 from others in having 

 the three inner sepals of 

 the flower much smaller 

 than the three outer ; 

 flowers bright purple and 

 very showy, during Sep- 

 tember and October. ; also 

 known aud sold as C, 

 Byzantinus. 



G. longiflorus— a desirable 

 auiumn flowerer, having 

 light pui*ple flowers, and, 

 with C. leevigatus, blooms 

 in October. The flowers of 

 the latter vary from white 

 to Klac. 



C. medius has large, rich 

 purple flowers, and being 

 a vigorous grower, flowers 

 well unprotected during 

 October. 



C. nudiflorus has become 

 naturalised in some parts 

 of the Midland counties ; 

 an autumn flowerer, pro- 

 ducing large blue-purple 

 flowers, without leaves, in 

 September. 



C. Qchroleucus — an autumn 

 bloomer; flowers white 

 and yellow ; deserves 

 frame protection. 



C pulchellus is a pretty 

 little species, with pale 

 lavender flowers, produced 



in autumn, and hardy 

 enough for the open bor- 

 der. 



C. serotinus and its near 

 ally, C. Salzmanni, both 

 handsome kinds, produce 

 br^ht hlac flowers in au- 

 tumn, with foliage, gene- 

 rally about October. C. 

 Clusii, also an autumn 

 flower^wr, is similar. 



C. Rieberi, a spring flowerer, 

 beginning to bloom about 

 February ; is small in 

 growth, but attractive, 

 being bright lilac. 



C. speciosus — one of the 

 finest of all Crocuses ; has 

 flowers quite three inches 

 across when open, and of 

 a deep purple, prettily 

 netted; an old garden 

 bulb, very hardy, and 

 easily grown; generally 

 begins to bloom about 

 September, and continues 

 for two or three weeks. 



C. suaveolens and minimus 

 —both similar to Imperati 

 but smaller, and under 

 the same head may be 

 classed such rare species 

 as C. etruscus. 



C. susianus — the common 

 Cloth of Gold Crocus ; has 

 bright orange flowers, 

 stained with bronze on the 

 exterior- C. stell,aris is 

 similar and equally beau- 

 tiful, and one of the com- 

 monest, being amongst 

 what are called Dutch 

 Crocuses. 



C. vernus — the Spring Crocus, a common species 

 in Central and Southern Europe — is the parent of 

 the innumerable varieties of purple spring Crocuses 

 which are imported so largely from the Dutch 

 hulb gardens. In its simple state C. vernus is 

 a beautiful plant, having large and handsomely 

 formed flowers of a purple hue. Jt may easily be 

 distinguished from other species by the large ob- 

 ovate flowers, and by a distinct ring of haij:s in 

 the tube of the flower. It has been under culti- 

 vation for centuries, and was one of the earliest 

 bulbs that engaged the attention of the famous 

 Dutch bulb-growers. They have so improved it and 

 varied it so much in colour, that every conceivable 

 shade between pure white and deep purple is repre- 

 sented, and, in most cases, the flowers are prettily 

 feathered and netted. The most noted sorts are those 

 named David Itizzio, deep purple ; Baron von Brunon, 

 large dark purple ; Prince Albert ; Mrs. Beecher 

 Stowe, pure white; Sir Walter Scott, one of the 

 best, beautifully netted ; Vulcan, purple-lilac ; Pride 

 of Albion, white striped with lilac. C. vernus is one 

 of the best of all the Crocuses for forcing into flower 

 early in pots, and for this purpose they are imported 

 every year, usually about August, from the Dutch 

 ' bulb farms, by the million. In all cases, the largest 

 and plumpest corms or bulbs should be selected for 

 forcing, as so much depends upon the inherent 



strength of the bulb to yield a good crop of bloom. 

 One bulb produces as many as a dozen blooms, which 

 open in succession. 



C. versicolor has flowers 

 varying from white to 

 purple, prettily striped 

 and pencilled; a hardy 

 and vigorous grower. 



C. zonatus is very orna- 

 mental, and flowers in 

 September ; flowers a 

 bright mac, with a golden 

 centre. 



Culture. — Those who aim at forming as complete 

 a collection of Crocuses as they can, will doubtless 

 find means of obtaining all the information about 

 the respective kinds that is available, therefore it is 

 not necessary here to enter into the details of the 

 peculiarities of every species, but only to give a 

 few hints as to the management of a collection of 

 the commoner and more robust kinds, and especially 

 those that may be grown in the open air. These will 

 include those that flower in the earlier part of the 

 autumn, and from February onwards. Those that 

 flower from the end of October to February really 

 require some sort of protection, such as a hand-light, 

 frame, or brick-pit, and as these are all inexpensive 

 appliances, many cultivators may like to grow the 

 species that flower during winter. All Crocuses 

 delight in a deep sandy loamy soil, well drained and 

 fully exposed to the sun, but screened from the 

 north and east. Where many kinds are grown in 

 one border, it is convenient, in order to keep the 

 kinds distinct, to place pieces of slate or tile between 

 them, so as to reduce the chances of intermixing the 

 bulbs. In an ordinary way, however, they may be 

 planted along the margins of hardy plant borders, 

 intermixed with other kinds of bulbs, or, indeed, 

 any other plants, so long as they are not too strong 

 in growth to smother the Crocuses. After the 

 foliage of Crocuses has decayed, about June, nothing 

 is seen of them until the autumn-flowering kinds 

 begin to push up their flowers. It is advisable to 

 lift the bulbs now and again, say about every 

 second or third year, the stock may then be in- 

 creased by separating the offsets ; but in all cases 

 the bulbs should not be kept out of the ground long, 

 or they will shrivel and, therefore, be weakened. 



The time to lift Crocus bulbs may be best judged 

 by the condition of the foliage. As soon as this 

 has turned yellow, and apparently dead, the bulbs 

 are then inactive and may be lifted. They should 

 first of all be cleaned, and the small corms separated 

 from the large ones, and all should then be kept in 

 pots of dry soil or sand in a cool place, such as on 

 the shelf of the garden shed. About the end of 

 August every bulb should be re-planted, otherwise 

 the autumn flowerers will not have foi-med roots 

 sufficient to sustain the bulbs "while flowering. 



It is always best to grow Crocuses and other small 

 bulbs in certain open warm spots where other plants 

 would be the least disturbed by this lifting and plant- 



