Plate 299. 



AUTUMN AND WINTER CROCUS. 



What beautiful things ! is the invariable exclamation when any one interested in 

 hardy flowers sees these charming species of Crocus for the first time. In the January number 

 we gave a representation of three forms of autumn flowering Crocus, that are, on the whole, 

 not difficult to obtain. Those now illustrated are rarer species and varieties that, thanks to 

 lovers of the choice hardy flowers, are becoming more numerous by being collected and 

 identified. When this takes place, the chances of a wider distribution are much increased. 

 Of those now figured C. Serotinus is the most plentiful. G. pulchellus has only recently been 

 identified and named. C. vallicolor, C. Byzantinus and C. longiflorus are not at present easily 

 obtainable, but the increase is somewhat rapid by means of numerous bulb offsets. 



All are more or less nude flowering, throwing up their flowers almost before the 

 leaves appear. But they are none the less valuable in consequence. They should be grown 

 in pots in a frame, in a light, free, sandy soil, and then their beauty is enjoyed without 

 risk from severity of the weather ; and as the cultivation of choice hardy plants is a growing 

 taste, and cold houses are being built to accommodate them, we feel that we have done 

 right in illustrating some of the most attractive of hardy autumn and winter flowers that can 

 be included in a choice collection. We are indebted to Messrs. Barr and Sugden, King 

 Street, Covent Garden, for flowers from which the accompanying representations were taken. 



Plate 300. 

 NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



The Chrysanthemum is the most useful, as it is also the most popular of our hardy 

 autumn flowers. It is the latest of them all, coming into bloom at what is known as the 

 dead season of the year ; brightening with touches of rare beauty the rapidly closing days 

 which immediately precede the close of the old year. So much is the Chrysanthemum 

 grown, that exhibitions of this flower are now quite common ; also, the plants are also con- 

 siderably grown for greenhouse and conservatory decoration. 



In addition to obtaining new varieties from seed, they are also produced as sports from 

 some variety. Golden Empress of India (Pig. 1) is a sport from the pure white variety 

 bearing this name. It has all the size, fulness, and symmetrical outline of the white 

 form, added to which is a particularly pleasing hue of pale yellow. In December last 

 it was awarded a First-class Certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society. Diamond (fig« 

 2) is one of the newer Japanese varieties, the flower large, the petals broad, and ribbon- 

 like, incurved and regularly arranged ; colour reddish-buff, tipped with clear yellow ; a 

 novel and attractive variety, and in every way desirable for the most select collection. 



The Japanese Chrysanthemums are especially well adapted for conservatory decoration, 

 and should be grown in good-sized pots, so as to be well fed at blooming time. Generously 

 grown in this way, the plants produce splendid flowers that in favourable weather last 

 for a long time fresh and beautiful to the eye. 



