26 



THE PLOWXE c.ASLiy. 



rer of irs foliage, in spire of the offensive fox-like smell 

 ■which it exhales in sufficient force :•: jusriry irs banish- 

 ment to the most distant part of the parterre, or even bo 

 the shrubbery. The colour of irs flowers varies :_ ; 

 light sulphur-yellow to a deep i>range-red. Such varie- 

 ties are obtained from seed sown as soon as ripe. The 

 Dutch or large-belled :row» iwoerial. F, maxima, de- 

 serves special notice on account of its height, and for the 

 number, size, and beauty of its flowers. Like other 

 fritiilarias. the crown imperial thrives best in a light, 

 well-drained soil, containing a slight admixture of chalk. 

 Protect in early spring from snails and slugs. Every 

 third or fourth year, when the bulbs are too crowded, 

 take them up for division at the end of June. Replant, 

 at no lone interval, at the depth of eight or ten inches ; 

 immediately is better, if you wish for lowers the follow- 

 ing spring. 



~Lafc: ] il — Xarcissus pseud j- ich comes 



before the swallow dares, and meets the winds of March 

 with beauty." has several double-flowered varieties; but 

 perhaps the most pleasing and elegant of all is the ori- 

 ginal wild flower which grows in humid pastures, from 

 which it well deserves promotion to the garden. All 

 the care the daffodil requires is to be taken up at 

 intervals of several years, and to be protected from the 

 ravages of ignorant jobbing-gar : who. for nearness' 



sake, as rhey call ir. will cut off the rank green leaves 

 after the plant has done flowering. Xeatness. in m 

 ration, is a virtue. In this case, the price at which it is 

 purchased is the absence of flowers the following sj 

 In the outskirts of London there are innumerable tufts 

 of daffodils which year after year produce nothing but 

 leaves. 



Dog's-tooth Violet — Erijtlironium dens-canis — is not a 

 w at all. though it is an raw ■ pi wry lirrle 



plant, which in addition to its pinkish flowers, has 

 remarkably handsome mottled leaves. Although of 

 quite as easy culture as other spring bulbs, it is not so 

 abundantly met with as its merits would seem to imply, 



