foliage in the last week of April. Thus the naked 
flowers are produced, like the Colchicum, in the 
autumn ; and also like this plant is its semination, 
the germen remaining beneath the soil at the time 
the flowers appear, but are pushed upwards, to the 
surface of the earth, in the spring ; there to ripen, 
when the leaves also of the plant are produced, for 
the succour of both seed and bulbs. 
In the spring of the year we see the Crocus 
glowing every where — welcome alike to the peer 
and the peasant — the harbinger of a joyous season ; 
but how rarely do we see it enlivening the borders 
in autumn, notwithstanding nature has provided us 
with species for the purpose. Well may we ask 
with White — 
“ Say, what impels, amidst surrounding snow 
Congeal’d, the Crocus’ yellow hud to blow? 
Say, what retards, amidst the summer blaze, 
Th’ autumnal bulb, till pale declining days ? 
The God of Seasons — whose pervading power 
Controls the sun, or sheds the fleecy shower; 
He bids each flower his quick’ning word obey. 
Or to each lingering bloom enjoins delay. ” 
Whether this beautiful autumnal flowering Cro- 
cus may, or may not, be called a British plant, it 
deserves a place amongst every respectable collec- 
tion of flowers ; indeed the British autumnal 
flowering species and this identical plant, should 
be obtained, as well for their individual value as 
for ascertaining their identity. We received our 
specimen from the Messrs. Pope and Sons, and are 
informed that it proves to be perfectly hardy, and 
will flourish in any garden soil. 
