280 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
this plant. In winter protect with a covering of bracken or dry 
leaves. Increased by offsets early in October. Nat. Ord. 
Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis family). 
Phsedra.na.ssa. (Queen Lily). — Beautiful but somewhat 
tender bulbous plants, belonging to the Amaryllis order 
(Amaryllidaceae), and natives of S. America. The species suit- 
able for outdoor culture are P. chloracea, yellow, fragrant, 
lift. ; P. schizantha, vermilion-yellow and green, lift. ; and P. 
ventricosa, scarlet, lift. All flower in spring. The foregoing 
require a deep, well-drained sandy soil and a sunny position 
such as a border at the base of a south wall. Plant the bulbs 
4 to 6in. deep in October or March. Protect in winter by 
a covering of bracken fern or tree leaves. Increased by 
offsets. 
Polianthes (Tuberose). — The fragrant Tuberose is best 
known as a greenhouse plant, but it will also grow and 
flower well outdoors in mild districts. The species, P. tube- 
rosa, is a native of Mexico, and has tuberous root-stocks, 
narrow leaves and white fragrant flowers borne in spikes on 
stems 2 to 3ft. high, in August. The double varieties, Double 
African, American, Italian, and Pearl are the most generally 
grown kinds. The Pearl is the best of the group. Tubers of 
the latter are obtainable in January, and may be either started 
in small pots in gentle heat, hardened off in May and planted 
out in June; or, planted 3m. deep and 6in. apart in a sunny 
border in March. In warm districts the tubers may be left 
in the ground, but in less favoured parts it is wise to lift them 
in October, store in a heated greenhouse till March, then 
replant. Generally speaking, the best results are obtained 
by planting fresh tubers annually, discarding the old ones. 
Nat. Ord. Amaryllidaceae (Amaryliis family). 
Puschkinia (Striped Squill). — P. scilloides ( 5 yn. P. 
libanotica) is a dainty squill-like bulbous plant, a native of 
Asia Minor, and a member of the Lily order (Liliaceae). It 
grows 4 to 6in. high, and bears small white or pale blue flowers 
striped with deep blue in April. Compacta is a variety of it 
with trusses of a more compact character. A dainty plant to 
grow in nooks on a sunny rockery or in groups in 
a sunny border. It requires a deep sandy soil mixed 
with leaf-mould. Plants the bulbs in September 4m. deep and 
3in. apart. In severe winter protect the bed with a layer of 
bracken or dried leaves. It is advisable to lift and replant the 
bulbs every third year. Increased by offsets in September. 
Ranunculus. — Here we have space to deal with the 
tuberous-rooted species only ; the rest of the genus being dealt 
