CEOCUSES. miTILLAEIA IMPEEIALIS. 



113 



can be bought, five, seven, or more roots in each pot. 

 If they have heat, it should be very slight, and they will 

 come forward nicely on the windows indoors. In 

 planting them out of doors they should be put about 

 three inches deep, and two inches apart : a w^et poor soil 

 does not do. Good roots are imported, and may be 

 bought at any good florist's, and depended on, at from 

 Is. bd. per hundred to fic^. per dozen. The roots should 

 be taken up every second year, the large roots replanted^ 

 and the small offsets planted in a bed for two years. 



To raise seedlings sow in October in an airy spot, in 

 light rich earth, cover the seed to the depth of a 

 quarter of an inch, and when the young plants grow up 

 in the spring, only keep them clean from weeds, clear 

 away the leaves wlien quite decayed, and spread a little 

 rich light earth over the roots. Treat them the same 

 for another year, and in September transplant them 

 into fresh light rich earth, three inches apart, and in 

 tw^o years more they will flower, when good new sorts 

 should be taken care of The Autumn crocus, Crocus 

 sativus, from which saffron is made, is very pretty, and 

 worthy of a place in the garden : its flowers are violet. 

 Most of the autumn flowering kinds are violet or 

 purple, but some are white. The C. Cartwriglitianus 

 creticus is a pretty pale yellow, with fine large flowers, 

 which come in October. 



The Fritillaries are hardy bulbs, w^hich are handsome 

 either in pots or in the borders. They do best in sandy 

 loam; the roots may be planted in autumn, taken up as 

 soon as the leaves decay, and kept in a rather moist 

 place until they are planted again. 



Fritillaria imperialis, the stately Crown Imperilffis in 

 three colours, yellow, dark yellow, and red : it grows , 

 very high, and is indeed a noble-looking flower. As it 

 flowers in April, it may be used for a bed in spring, 

 and the foliage w411 die off soon enough for the roots to 

 be talvcn up to give place to later flowers. It should 

 have a deep rich soil, well drained, and w^hen the stems 

 send out young shoots above the bulbs a top dressing 

 of well rotted manure should be given, close round the 



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