44 



THE FLOWEB GAKDEK. 



depth, in a large pot of light loam. S. Peruviana, the 

 Peruvian Squill, is not a native of that country ; but was 

 taken to the New World by the Portuguese, and brought 

 back to Europe in the seventeenth century, after be- 

 coming naturalized on the coast of Chili and Peru. Bulb 

 large, flowers blue (there is a white variety), best kept 

 in a pot, in light soil, under a cold frame. S. amcena, 

 S. Italica, and <S. campanulata all bear flowers of various 

 shades of blue, may be left in the ground several years, 

 and do best in a light, dry, warm soil, with a certain 

 amount of shade. The Two-leaved Squill, S. bifolia, the 

 Siberian or early Squill, S. Sibirica, or proecox, and S. 

 umbellata, merit pot-culture, although they are perfectly 

 hardy, that they may take their place amidst forced jonquils 

 or hyacinths. The Siberian Squill, especially, is one of the 

 prettiest emblems of spring which we have, joined to 

 which, its dwarf and graceful stature renders it worthy of 

 all admiration. The "Wild Hyacinth of our woods is by 

 most botanists enrolled with Squills, as S. nutans, Nod- 

 ding Squill, though it was formerly classed as Hi/acintlius 

 non seriptus (also as Agraphis nutans), in allusion to a 

 mythological fable which can have no place here ; nor 

 can the plant itself claim admission into gardens. 



Star of Bethlehem — Ornithogalum. — A genus very 

 closely allied to the former. 0. umbellatum is one of the 

 commonest. The French call it the Eleven-o'clock 

 Lady, because it opens its cluster of bright white flowers 

 an hour before noon, when the sun shines brightly, 

 shutting them again at three. The corolla only expands 

 under the strong stimulus of light. It is also supposed 

 to be one of the plants mentioned in Scripture. O. pyra- 

 midale, styled by the Erench the Tirgin's Spike, display? 

 its handsome white blossoms at the end of June. O. 

 fimbriatum, Eringed Star of Bethlehem, has white 

 flowers striped with green. These are all of easy cul- 

 ture, and, indeed, scarcely deserve any great pains to be 

 taken about them, beyond lifting and separation every 

 second or third year. There are Cape Stars of Bethle- 

 hem, which are not safe unless treated as Ixias. 



