326 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



Erythronium (Dog's-tooth Violet). — Of late years many 

 additions have been made to this genus, ^vhich now furnishes 

 some of the most useful of spring-flowering plants. The varieties 

 of E. denS'Canis are well adapted for the edges of borders 

 or shrubberies, or for naturalising. The flowers of ail are strikingly 

 Cyclamen-like, and are purple, lilac, yellow, pink, and white in 

 colour ; while the foliage of some species is elegantly mottled. 

 Erythroniums range between 6in. and gin. in height. A shady 

 site amongst the grass is an ideal spot for them, while in the 

 border, in choice corners of the rock garden, mixed with Mossy 

 Saxifrages, or under the shade of shrubs, in a good loam, they 

 will blossom freely. Propagated by division in late summer. 



Species and varieties worth growing are the common E. dens- 

 canis (Fig. 202), rosy-purple : E. Hartivegi^ light yellow, very early ; 

 E. grandifloruni^ bright yellow ; E. revolutuin \Hendersoiii\ light 

 purple, mottled foliage ; E Nuttalliaiium^ deep yellow^ ; and 

 E. [ohnstoni^ pink, with yellow base. 



Fig. 204. — Fritillaria Meleagris. 



Fritillaria (Fritillary). — Distinctly interesting are all the 

 hardy members of this genus which have been introduced to 

 cultivation. In few^ gardens, however, except cottagers', is the 

 genus represented, and there usually by the more stately 



