July 24, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
67 
as they produce double the crop of the former. I will admit that 
the smooth secures the highest price, but I think it is more than 
counterbalanced by the extra weight of the corrugated type. I 
question if anyone has made the growing of Tomatoes pay during 
the winter months, taking into consideration the firing, labour, &c. 
I believe the game is not worth the candle, and all the British and 
Continental growers are of the same opinion. It is all very well 
to grow them for private purposes, but growing them for market is 
a different matter altogether, as the cost of production has to be 
taken into consideration. A very satisfactory feature of Tomato 
growing is that the demand keeps pace with the supply.— 
•S. T. Wright. 
SOME AUTUMN CROCUSES. 
In Hate autumn the garden of hardy plants stands somewhat in 
need of something to brighten and lighten it up. Should frost 
proves that what they know by this name is Cochicum autumnale, 
familiarly known as the Autumn Crocus, but frequently as the 
Meadow Saffron, although even this is a misnomer. 
It is easy enough for the initiated to distinguish the Colchicum 
from the Crocus, but the following distinctions given by Wooster 
in “Alpine Plants,” page 59, may be of value to some of my 
readers. The Crocus has only three stamens, the Colchicum six. 
The ovary is below the flower, but in the Colchicum it is within it. 
The Crocus has one style and three stigmas, while the Colchicum 
has three distinct styles. I may be asked why I write of these 
flowers now when the garden is aglow with colour, and when all 
Nature seems to inculcate the necessity of making the most of the 
present, and of taking no thought for short dull days which we 
would fain forget. But after all, as gardening is the “art that 
doth mend Nature,” we have to look forward from season to season, 
and now is perhaps the best month to order the dry corms, which will 
in two or three months produce their bright flowers to delight us 
Fig. 10.—ADIANTUM BATEJSEI. 
keep away for longer than usual there will be no lack of Asters 
and Helianthuses and many other tall plants, but the front of the 
border and the rock garden, however attractive with the greys and 
greens of the Saxifrages, stand in need of a bit of colouring. 
It is at this time that the Crocuses and Colchicums come in to 
fill up the void. The Colchicums are especial favourites with me, 
but even the most enthusiastic among the few who grow these in 
any variety must admit that they cannot exclude the autumn 
Crocuses from the garden. Each genus has its advantages, and 
while less able to withstand the vicissitudes of our British autumnal 
storms, the Crocuses possess a delicacy and refinement somewhat 
lacking in the most of the Colchicums. These treasures of the 
.garden are becoming better known, but are still rarely met with, 
and if we ask the majority of our gardening friends if they have 
autumn Crocuses, the chances are many that they have not, or, if 
perchance they say they do grow them, on inquiry it generally 
with their beauty. Ordered and procured as soon as possible, so 
that they may not have become weakened by starting into growth, 
planted about 3 inches deep in a sunny position, well sheltered from 
strong winds, there will be no difficulty in growing these autumn 
Crocuses, and when the one or the few bulbs become a large mass, 
no common object of beauty will be seen in the garden. 
As with the early spring species, I do not claim to have an 
extensive number of varieties in my little garden, and as with these 
I merely intend to note a few of the cheapest and most easily 
obtained. 
One of the most valuable autumn Crocuses possessing the 
qualities of cheapness, hardiness, and freedom of blooming, and 
last, but not least, beauty, is C. specicsus, the “ blue ” autumn 
Crocus. This flowers in September or the beginning of October, 
and I can say without the slightest hesitation is one which yields 
to none in its attractions. The flowers-; re of a fine purplish blue, 
