HARDY BULBS AND TUBERS. 
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borne from 6 to 12 on a stout stem a foot long. The colour 
of the flowers is white flushed with pink. There is a white- 
flowered variety named album, and a striped white and pink 
one named striatum. C. Moorei has bell-shaped flowers 6in. 
in diameter and strap-like leaves. Both flower in summer or 
autumn. C. longifolium does best in a deep rich soil near 
the margin of a pond, or in a sunny moist border. C. Moorei 
likes a well drained loamy soil and a sunny position. They 
must have plenty of moisture in summer, and be protected in 
winter with a covering of fern or leaves. An annual top- 
dressing of rotten manure in early spring will also be bene- 
ficial. Plant the bulbs 6in. deep in March. Increased by 
seeds sown in sandy soil in heat in spring, also by offsets 
in March. 
Crocosmia.— S. aurea (Syn. Tritonia aurea) is a South 
African bulbous plant, belonging to the Iris family (Iridaceae). 
It has narrow sword-like leaves and bears brilliant reddish- 
orange flow'ers in graceful racemes during August and Sep- 
tember. A most useful plant to supply charming flowers for 
cutting. C. imperialis is another handsome kind bearing 
large orange-red flowers on racemes 4ft. high in September. 
These bulbs are somewhat tender. In the south and west they 
may be grown in well-drained sunny borders of deep sandy 
soil enriched with rotten manure. In other parts it is advisable 
to start the bulbs in pots in a cool house in spring and plant 
out in May. Plant outdoors bulbs 3m. deep and 3m. apart in 
October. Otherwise treat as advised for Tritonias. Increased 
by offsets. 
Crocus. — This genus of bulbous plants is an exceedingly 
popular one, the corms being grown freely in gardens of all 
sizes. They belong to the Flag or Iris order (Iridaceae). There 
are two sections of this well-known genus, namely, the Spring 
and the Autumn-flowering. The former are the best known 
kinds, but the latter are equally as beautiful and interesting. 
In the Spring-flowering section C. vernus, an alpine species, 
is one of the most noteworthy because it is the parent of the 
numerous varieties, corms of which are largely imported 
annually from Holland and sold at a cheap rate for the embel- 
lishment of our gardens. . We need not mention the varietal 
names of the latter since they can be found in any bulb list. 
The species which are deserving of special mention here as 
pretty spring-flowering crocuses to grow in patches in the 
border or on the rockery are: C. biflorus (Scotch Crocus), 
lavender, white and purple, Feb. ; C. aureus, golden-yellow, 
Feb.; C. Imperati, lilac-purple, fragrant, Jan. and Feb.; C. 
suavolens, lilac, orange, buff and purple, March ; C. versi- 
color, purple and white, March ; C. Sieberi, lilac and gold, 
