124 THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



water should be given, while a mulch of well-decayed 

 hot-bed manure in March will generally be found to 

 strengthen the growth. Propagation may be effected 

 by division of the tubers in the autumn, but it is a 

 pity to disturb the plants if they are healthy. A light 

 covering of rough leaf-mould or cocoa-nut fibre makes 

 an effective protection during the winter months. Other 

 so-called Orchises, such as the Bee Orchis, Humble-bee 

 Orchis, Fly Orchis, Spider Orchis, Saw-fly Orchis, and 

 Looking-glass Orchis, though belonging to theOrchidaceae, 

 are classed under the name of Ophrys. These should be 

 grown on sunny rock gardens in sandy loam with which 

 chips of limestone or chalk 'nave been incorporated, 

 otherwise the cultural directions already given for the 

 terrestrial Orchids will apply. 



OrnithOgalumS. - This extensive family comprises 

 about eighty species, natives of Europe, Asia, Africa, 

 P/id America. They are bulbous plants, and the 

 greater portion are only fitted fin culture under glass, 

 chough a few are hardy, and well fitted to assist in the 

 embellishment of our gardens. A rich, sandy soil is 

 found most adapted to their requirements. The taller 

 kinds are well su-^ed for planting in the herbaceous 

 border, while man_> of the dwarfer species are seen at 

 their best when naturalised in the grass. One of the 

 greatest merits of these Stars of Bethlehem, as they 

 are prettily styled, is the length of time they remain 

 in bloom, the flower spikes of some of the species 

 remaining in condition for close upon three months. 

 The following are amongst the best of those suitable lor 

 culture in our own country : 



0. armeniaciim, a native of Armenia, bearing its white 

 flowers in umbels during May ; height, 6in. to gin. 



0. arabiClim, a beautiful flower from Algeria, blooms 

 white w ith black eve, I in. to 2in. in diameter, borne 

 on a tall flower stem, attaining, under good cultivation, 

 a height of nearly 3ft. In England it usually blooms 

 in May or June. Although not, strictly speaking, hardy, 

 it generally passes through the winter unharmed in 

 sheltered situations in the Southern Counties. In colder 

 climates pot culture will be found most suitable. 



0. COmOSlim, Europe, a perfectly hardy plant, bearing 

 racemes of white flowers, and growing to a height of 

 bin. It blossoms in May and June, and is well adapted 

 for positions in the rock garden 



0- exscapum, Europe, a very dwarf, hardy species, 

 bearing umbels of large, white flowers just clear of the 

 ground ; an April bloomer. 



0. fimbriatum, from the 

 Crimea, hardy, producing 

 greenish white flowers. A 

 dwarf plant useful for 

 naturalising in grass; 

 blooms in early spring. 



0. glaueophyllum, Asia 



Minor, hardy, bearing 



umbels of white flowers, 



height about 6in., blossom- 

 ing in May and June. 

 0. latifolilim, a native of 



Tauria, hardy, bearing a 



tall head of as many as a 



hundred large, while 



flowers. Under generous 



treatment it attains a height 



of 3ft., and flowers during 



the months of May and 



June. It is very valuable 



for open-air culture. 

 0. montanum, Europe, 



dwarf, hardy, bearing 



racemes of greenish white 



flowers. 



0. narbonnense, Europe, 



a hardy plant, bearing 

 white flowers, iin. in dia- 

 meter, on stems 2ft. in 



height. It blooms in June, SINGLE P/EONIES. 



and is in every way desirable for grouping in the border 

 or wild garden. 

 0. nutans, Europe, bearing loose racemes of drooping 

 white flowers with green reverses, height, 6in. to loin. ; 

 a June bloomer. This bulb had better be relegated to 

 the wild garden or naturalised in the grass, as it quickly 

 spreads and is with difficulty eradicated, if planted in 

 a border, without unduly disturbing the other occupants. 

 0. pyramidale, Europe, is the noblest of all the Ornitho- 

 galunis, producing tall spires of white flowers 3ft. to 4ft. 

 in height. It blossoms in June. When grown in rich 

 deep soil, and allowed to remain undisturbed, it forms 

 fine clumps, which are exceedingly decorative in the 

 border or in the wild garden. This is a variety ol 

 O. narbonnense. 

 0. pyrenaicum, Europe, producing long racemes of 

 pale yellow flowers, height 2ft., flowering in June. 

 This species is found wild in parts of England. 

 0. limbellatum, Europe, a hardy, well-known kind, 

 bearing its white flowers in umbels some 6in. in height. 

 It blooms in May, and is seen at its best when naturalised 

 on a grassy bank. 



There are thirty-three other species which were 

 introduced from South Africa, while of the remainder 

 six hail from America, O. alliaceum, O. bifolium, and O. 

 corymbosum being natives of Chili, O. biflorum's habitat 

 being Peru, and that of O. chloroleucum Brazil, while 

 O. ixioides is a Californian bulb. 

 OrobUS. — See Lathyrus. 

 Oxlip. — See Primula. 



Pajonies are divided into two classes, the herbaceous, 

 which dies down every winter and shoots up from the 

 ground the succeeding spring, and the shrubby, or tree 

 section, which forms large, permanent bushes. Though 

 differing greatly in their manner of growth, herbaceous 

 and tree Paeonies require very similar treatment. They 

 luxuriate in deep, rich soil, in fact it may be said that 

 the soil cannot well be too deep or too rich. Where 

 practicable, the bed in which the Paeonies are to be 

 planted should be excavated to a depth of 3ft. — indeed, 

 strong-growing herbaceous Paeonies send their roots down 

 to a greater depth than this — and well enriched with 

 cow manure in all but the heaviest soils, where stable 

 manure may be substituted. The bed or beds should 

 not be close to trees or very vigorous-growing shrubs, 

 whose roots will impoverish the soil, though, at the same 

 time, a certain amount of shade is beneficial, and shelter 

 from boisterous winds is a 

 desideratum. The best time 

 for planting Paeonies is 

 early in the autumn, the 

 month of September, when 

 they are in full leaf, for 

 choice. When carefully 

 lifted and planted at the 

 time advised, and given a 

 copious watering, they will 

 quickly recover from the 

 shift and push out roots into 

 thesurroundingsoil, whereas 

 they often remain dormant 

 for weeks after a spring 

 planting, and make little or 

 no growth during their first 

 season in new quarters. In 

 dry situations it is always 

 well to plant in a slight 

 depression, so that when 

 water is given, as it should 

 be liberally and often dur- 

 ing dry weather, it may not 

 run away, but thoroughly 

 permeate the soil. Surface 

 mulchings of manure given 

 in the early spring have 

 a very beneficial effect on 

 Paeonies, as the stimulating 

 properties of the dressing 



