SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS & PLANTS for Shrubberies, &c. 29- 
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of some of the fine garden varieties like Sir Walter 
Scott, David llizzio, Queen Victoria, the large Golden 
Yellow, or any of the striped and various coloured 
varieties. These are as free of increase and as easy to 
cultivate as the commonest kinds, while their beauty 
and rich colouring is far in advance of them. As for 
culture, they will grow in almost any soil, preferring 
that which is open, rich, and light. To establish them 
in the places wo have indicated, nothing but the mere 
dibbing in of a root here and there is necessary. With 
a wooden dibber make a hole a few inches deep, say 
three, and drop in a bulb, either filling in with soil, or 
simply pressing the spot well with the foot, or by in- 
serting the dibber again by the side of the hole, so as to 
press it in, pressing down the surface as firm as you cau 
witlx the foot. In most kinds of ground the bulbs will 
not only grow well, but increase. 
In the wild and semi-wild department it will bo better 
to spread them about iu a very irregular and natural 
kind of way, if we may so speak — a pretty close yet 
irregular group here, a thin sprinkling there, and in 
quiet places single patches. Two effects should bo 
sought— one to have a rather dense spread of flower 
among the grass ; the other, isolated little groups here 
and there : both, if well done, will prove charming. 
About the extensive or even the minor class of country 
places, there are many spots which may be embellished 
in this way. Iu the smaller class of suburban garden, 
&c., where retired grassy spots are not to be had, a 
good result may bo attained by putting rather close 
tufts of Crocuses along the margins of the shrubbery, 
or clumps of small trees or borders. By alternating 
them in groups with other Spring flowers in this way, 
a capital result may be attained, and nothing interfered 
with, as the ground may bo readily covered in Summer 
when the leaves of the bulbs are down. So much for 
the Crocuses — any varieties that may bo had at a cheap 
rate will prove suitable for this purpose. It would be 
a good plan to plant some bulbs on comparative warm 
and sunny banks, &c., if such occurrod, and others, on 
the contrary, in deep soil and cool positions, so as to 
provide for a succession of bloom. 
The Squill family is the next to bo noticed. They 
are pretty plants, with blue, lilac, or white blossoms, 
arranged in a spike or cluster. Some of these, offered 
cheaply in our catalogue, are host adapted for the pur- 
pose. The white and blue varieties of Scilla bifolia, as 
well as S. siberica, are charming early-flowering kinds, 
though, being somewhat dwarf, aro perhaps best 
adapted for borders. S. campanulata and its varieties ; 
S. nutans (the Wood Hyacinth) and its varieties ; as 
well as S. hyacinthoides, are all capital for our purpose, 
and will adapt themselves to all kinds of grounds and 
positions like native plants. When tufts of these peer 
forth in Spring from near the margin of a shrubbery, or 
by a woodland walk, there are few things to equal them 
for beauty. We cannot too highly recommend the uso 
of these Squills in this relation. 
Then there is the popular and showy Narcissus 
family. The Double Daffodil, or Lent Lily, is one of 
the most common of these hardy and showy fragrant 
plants, admirably adapted for gardens, and not half 
sufficiently grown in them, but even better adapted for 
naturalisation in the places spoken of. But there are 
others more worthy of attention— prettier, sweeter, and 
hardier. What, for instance, could surpass tufts of the 
charming Pheasant’s-eye Narcissus, occurring here and 
there along wood or pleasure-ground walks, or better 
still, in soruo ragged stonj' nook, like an old chalk or 
gravel pit, or even a bank devoted for the purpose of 
growing a few beautiful Spring things in a free and 
half- wild state ? This Pheasant’s-eye Narcissus (poeti- 
cus) is a flower admired by everybody — thoroughly 
harcly, will grow in any soil, must, therefore, be a con- 
spicuous member of the body we aro recommending for 
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naturalisation. Narcissus odorus is quite distinct from 
it or the Daffodil, yet a most charming, plant not at all 
sufficiently seen in gardens. It is of the clearest yellow, 
abundantly produces flowers, and is the sweetest of 
the sweet. It is not a sickly or unattractive odour, like 
that of some of its brethren, but gratefully fragrant. 
The leaves are dark green, and rather rounder and nar- 
rower than most of the family. It is commonly known 
and sold as Campernel Jonquil. It will prove 
admirably suited for planting near the edge of shrub- 
berries, &c., where its masses of beautiful yellow will 
prove most attractive iu Spring. To these can bo 
added two fine single kinds, sold as Trumpet major 
and Trumpet sulphur ; and some of the fine double 
varieties, as well as tho common sweet-scented double 
white. Perhaps tho prettiest and most showy of all 
is N. bulbocodium (the Hoop Petticoat Narciss), sin- 
gularly bright and effective, and wonderfully free 
blooming. 
The Wild Tulip (T. sylvestris), generally sold as 
T. florentina odorata, would also be highly effective if 
used in this way. It is a gorgeous flower of six large 
bright yellow petals. The singular and curious Horned 
Tulip (T. cornuta) could also be used ; clumps of it 
would have a striking effect, and bo sure to elicit warm 
admiration. Some of the cheap and commoner forms 
of the early-flowering Tulips, such as tho Early Single 
and Double Van Thols, Gloria Sob’s, aud others, could 
be used ; their bright and glowing colours would nicely 
that grows in meadows very freely, and therefore the 
very plant for these grassy nooks, glades, and verges ; 
the popular Crown Imperial or Fritillaria imperialis, 
with its charming ring of pendant flowers, and the 
varieties also with vari-coloured and richly-tinted blos- 
soms ; Leucojum vernum, a kind of aristocratic-looking 
double Snowdrop, is another capitally adapted for our 
purpose, especially as it can now bo found wild in some 
parts of England ; unfortunately it is very scaroe, and 
so high-priced ; L. sestivum, a cheaper and commoner 
species than Vernum, and nicely effective also ; and 
OUIt BULBS ABE PICKED BOOTS SPECIALLY SELECTED FOB OUR HOUSE. 
