BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS-ROOTED PLANTS. 



201 



prepared pans or borders. Cover lightly with fine 

 soil, and shade from bright sunshine. The seed 

 germinates quickest under glass, but sowing in 

 an open border is the easiest way of raising 

 anemones, this obviating the necessity for trans- 

 planting till the tubers are largo enough to place 

 in the beds or borders. 



Bulbocodium vernttm. — This, the spring-flowering 

 meadow saffron, produces dark purplo crocus-like 

 flowers in March. It is suitable for either massing 

 or for the margins of beds. Plant in good soil 

 not later than October, and from 2 to 3 inches 

 apart each way in broad drills 4 inches deep. 

 Buried thus deeply they need not be disturbed 

 annually, but may be lifted, divided, and replanted 

 every second or third autumn. 



Chionodoxa Lucille (Glory of the Snow). — There 

 are few prettier spring-flowering plants than this 

 little gem. It is a near ally of the scillas ; 

 height 6 inches ; colour deep blue, shading to 

 white. Plant in bands 2 inches apart each way 

 and to a depth of 4 inches. Increase either by 

 offsets or by seed sown in an open border as soon 

 as ripe, not disturbing the bulbs obtained in this 

 way for three years. 



Crocus. — There are numerous varieties of crocus that 

 can now be bought] cheaply, all of which are very 

 effective in masses or bands. Height 4 inches ; 

 colours various ; flowering period February to 

 April. Plant and treat much as advised in the 

 case of bulbocodium. The advice to plant deeply 

 in rich soil ought particularly to be observed, and 

 the bulbs disturbed only when it is desirable that 

 the stock shall be increased. Lifting and dividing 

 may take place either when the leaves are wither- 

 ing or early in the autumn. Any lifted from the 

 beds after the foliage is dead may be dried and 

 stored in sand till October. 



Cyclamen (Sow Bread). — Though not extensively 

 employed for filling the flower beds during the 

 winter and spring owing to their liability to suffer 

 from excess of moisture while at rest, they are so 

 very charming as to merit a trial. Foliage and 

 flowers alike are attractive. The red and white 

 forms of C. Coum, when fully grown, are only 3 

 inches high, and the flowering period is from 

 January to April. C. ibericum may be briefly 

 described as an improvement on C. Coum, while C. 

 repandum, synonym C. hederaefolium, is also very 

 dwarf. This flowers from March to May ; colour 

 rose-red. A mixture of loam leaf soil and sand 

 suits these cyclamen, and it is suggested that the 

 stock be kept in small pots till the worst of the 



VOL. I. D 



winter is past, when they may safely be planted 

 out. When the flowering is over return them to 

 either pots or beds where they can be kept some- 

 what dry when at rest. Easily raised from seed, 

 sowing this directly it is ripe ; seedlings to bo 

 placed singly in small pots, and shifted when 

 well rooted into 4 inch or 5 inch sizes, or pricked 

 out in beds, and protected. They are of slow 

 growth. 



Eranthtts hyemalis (Winter Aconite). — This is 

 chiefly remarkable for its earliness, and owing to 

 the short duration of the flowers is more often 

 seen in mixed borders than flower-beds. It may be 

 used as an edging, and, if planted similarly to 

 crocuses, need not be disturbed often. Height 

 4 inches ; yellow ; January and February ; in- 

 creased by division of the crowns and by seed 

 early in the autumn. 



Erythroniuji. — E. americanum, height 3 to G 

 inches ; colour bright yellow. E. dens-canis 

 (Dog's-tooth Violet), 6 inches ; purple, rose, and 

 white forms. E. grandiflorum, cream colour, and 

 E. g. giganteum, white, with a yellow base, are 

 all lovely spring flowering plants, at their best 

 during March and April. They are perfectly 

 hardy, and should have either a peaty soil or a 

 mixture of loam, leaf-soil, and sand. Plant 

 close to the edges, and moderately close, in 

 single rows. In these positions they need not 

 often be disturbed, or they may be moved to the 

 reserve garden late in May. Increased by offsets 

 taken directly the foliage dies down. 



Galantiius nivalis (Snowdrop). —The ordinary 

 single and double forms are too well known to 

 need any description here, while the less common 

 varieties are not, as yet, much bedded out. 

 Snowdrops transplant readily, but if planted 

 4 inches deep near the edges of beds they will go 

 on improving, an occasional lifting, dividing, 

 and replanting taking place when they become 

 too crowded. The bulbs can be lifted soon 

 after they have done flowering, and stored in 

 sand ;'or soil till wanted again, but the best 

 results attend the practice of not often disturbing 

 them. 



Hyacinth. — If not exactly the most beautiful of all 

 spring-flowering bulbous-rooted plants, hyacinths 

 undoubtedly rank among the most showy and 

 imposing of them. Bulb catalogues contain 

 descriptions ot all the best varieties for bedding- 

 out purposes, and it only remains to be added that 

 an effective display cannot be depended upon from 

 old bulbs. A fresh stock should be purchased 



