TIIE AMATEUR’S FLOWER GARDEN. 
105 
prefer a damp or boggy situation, but must have a full ex¬ 
posure to the sun. Multiply by division and by cuttings. 
Allium (Onion).—Several species of garlic and onion are 
worthy of a place in the best border, for they are most elegant 
when in flower. Any soil will suit them, and they bear partial 
shade without injury. They generally increase rapidly with¬ 
out attention by scattering their seeds when ripe; and there¬ 
fore, if young plants are required, leave the soil undisturbed 
around the old ones. The best are A. album , A, moly , A, 
roseum, and A. ciliatum. 
Alstrcemeria (Chilian Lily).—These brilliant plants are, 
with only one or two exceptions, perfectly hardy, and require 
only the simplest cultivation. They are admirably adapted 
for filling odd places and out-of-the-way nooks, •where they 
can be left alone undisturbed for years ; that being one of the 
conditions of success with them. The soil should be deep, 
rich, and light, and it matters not whether the staple is peat 
or loam, but it must be well drained, for if in the slightest 
degree boggy, the winter will destroy the plants. Plant them 
deep ; give them plenty of water during summer, and in 
winter cover with a thin sprinkling of tree leaves. They are 
increased by divisions of the fleshy roots in autumn. The 
best are A. cmrantiaca , height 2 feet, flowers orange and yellow; 
A. Urrembaulti , 2 feet, flowers white, with crimson or yellow 
spots ; A. josittacina, 8 feet, flowers crimson and green. There 
are many beautiful varieties in cultivation, in addition to the 
three here recommended. 
Alyssum (Madwort).—The well-known “ Yellow Alyssum” 
A. saxatile , makes such a brilliant show in the month of May, 
that it is almost impossible to have too much of it. This 
showy plant will grow in any soil, but requires an open 
sunny situation, and is certainly somewhat unsafe if the soil 
is more than ordinarily damp in winter. We have had to 
grow thousands of it, and have always found cuttings of the 
young shoots better than seeds, but it is easily multiplied by 
either plan. The variegated-leaved variety of A. saxatile is 
an extremely pretty plant for the rockery or for pot culture. 
A. argenteum is a fine showy plant for the rockery, but of far 
less value than the common alyssum for the border. The 
“variegated alyssum” of the bedding system is A. orientate 
variegaium , a decidedly tender plant of comparatively trifling 
value. 
