CHAP. VIII. J 
CROCUSES. 
293 
land as soon as they have flowered, will live 
many years if treated like the hyacinth. 
Crocuses may be grown in the open ground, 
and they do not require taking up every year 
like hyacinths or tulips. If they are taken 
up and replanted every third or fourth year, 
it will be sufficient. There are above a hun¬ 
dred named varieties, and they will produce 
a very good effect if planted so as to form 
figures with their various colours. When 
this is the case, however, the corms should be 
taken up and replanted every year; to pre¬ 
vent the figure from becoming confused by 
the spreading of the offsets. Crocuses may 
be grown in glasses, or in pots or boxes, with 
very little injury, if planted in the open 
ground as soon as they have done flowering, 
and suffered to mature their leaves. In all 
cases the leaves of the crocus should be suf¬ 
fered to remain till they wither, and not cut 
off; though many gardeners, from a mistaken 
desire for neatness, cut the leaves off as soon 
as the flowers have faded, and thus seriously 
injure the corms. All the kinds of gladiolus 
or corn flag, the Irises, the Ixias, and, in short 
all the Cape bulbs, are corms, and require 
