520 
THE SCILLA OR SQUILL. 
the Chusan Archipelago, where it is called 
Xing-sze-rvJia, or 'silver silk flower' by the 
northern Chinese. I never met with this 
species in the south of China, and it is probable 
that it -will be found hardy in the climate of 
England. It may be propagated easily enough 
by seeds, cuttings, or layers, or it may be 
grafted on some of the hardy species. Some 
of the hardy varieties of Rhododendron would 
probably make good stocks for this purpose. 
One of the chief points to be attended to in 
its cultivation, is thorough drainage. I in- 
variably found it growing on the hill- sides, 
often amongst rocks and stones where no 
stagnant water could remain near its roots. 
This point being attended to, it will be found 
to thrive well in the same kind of soil in 
which the other species of Azalea are generally 
grown." 
The hardiness of the plant has been well 
tested during the winter of 1846-7. In the 
garden of the Horticultural Society at Chis- 
wick it has been found to bear a temperature 
of four degrees Fahrenheit, in a low damp 
situation, both on a south and north aspect, 
without exhibiting any appearance of suffering. 
(Scilla bifolia.) 
THE SCILLA OR SQUILL. 
Among the small bulbous plants which 
flower in the months of spring, few possess 
more beauty than the different species and 
varieties of Scilla. Two or three of the kinds 
flower early enough to bear company with the 
blossoms of the crocus, and with these, and 
indeed every other kind of flower produced at 
that season of the year, their prevailing cceru- 
lean tint forms an admirable association and 
contrast. It is to these early flowering kinds 
that in this place we particularly direct atten- 
tion. Growing not more than three or four 
inche.9 high, and bearing for the most part 
blue flowers, they would form beautiful beds. 
or margins to beds in the flower-garden, where 
now such plants as snowdrops and crocuses are 
almost exclusively depended on for the earliest 
bloom. The snowdrop, as is well known, 
furnishes white blossoms only ; the crocus 
supplies yellow, orange, purple, and various 
particolours ; but neither in this is the pure 
blue colour to be found. Those persons, there- 
fore, who desire that their gardens should 
burst forth into beauty with the earliest dawn 
of returning spring, should on no account fail 
to procure and plant largely of the kinds of 
squill we are now about to notice. 
Scilla bifolia, of which there are some 
distinct varieties, is represented in the accom- 
panying engraving. It has a small oblong- 
bulb, from which proceed usually two, but 
sometimes three, dark green, shining, linear, 
lance-shaped leaves of about three inches in 
length ; from between these arises the erect 
scape of flowers, reaching about an equal 
height, bearing a few — six or eight — blue 
flowers, which are small, star-like, composed 
of six ovate-lanceolate concave spreading seg- 
ments. These flowers are produced during 
March and April, often early in the former 
month. There is a variety with white 
blossoms called S. bifolia alba, and another 
with pink flowers called S. bifolia rubra. 
This species is said to have been found wild 
in England, but this is rather doubtful. 
Scilla verna has small roundish bulbs, from 
which grow several dark green shining linear 
leaves, about four inches in length, from be- 
tween which arises the erect scape to about 
the same height, bearing a roundish head of 
star-like deep purplish blue flowers ; these 
appear in April and May. This is a native 
of the sea-coast of the sister kingdoms, in some 
places covering large tracts of ground. 
Scilla sibirica has roundish bulbs, and 
two or three broadly lanceolate linear shining 
leaves of a bright green colour, growing about 
three inches high ; the flowers, of which two 
or three are borne on a nodding scape, are 
larger than in S. bifolia, and drooping ; they 
are of a most beautiful light clear blue tint, 
and being a vigorous growing though small 
plant, they are very freely produced, and con- 
tinue some time in blossom. They are pro- 
duced early in March and continue throughout 
the month, a few blooms continuing some- 
times to be produced even in April. It is of 
course a native of Siberia. 
Scilla amama is rather a smaller growing 
plant than the last ; it has roundish bulbs, with 
broad lanceolate dark green shining leaves, 
and a scape growing about three inches high, 
bearing several largish drooping light blue 
flowers, which resemble those of S. sibirica, 
and are produced in March and April. This 
species is a native of the Levant. 
