January 4,1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
11 
- Snowdbops. —It appears that Snowdrops may be obtained 
during seven or eight months in the year. I hear of Galanthns nivalis 
being in flower in various parts of the country, but we are later in 
Scotland, and need not expect them so early. I have been much inter¬ 
ested in Snowdrops of late, and more so since Mr. S. Arnott presented 
me with bulbs of half a dozen sorts. For a month past I have 
[COSTUS IGNEUS. 
At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural (Society on December 
12Ji, 1893, Mr. W. Bain, gardener to': Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., 
Burford Lodge, Dorking, exhibited some dwarf plants of Coetus igneus, 
on which much interest was centred. From these plants the illustration 
Fig. 2.—COSTUS IGNEUS. 
been watching seven or eight sorts, one said to be G. plicatus, 
but which Mr. Arnott says is hardly likely to be plicatus, although it 
has the plicate leaf. This opened its petals on December 29th, 
G. icarite showed signs of flowering much earlier, but the flower was 
destroyed ; it is very rare. G. Scharloki seems to be a few days later, 
so is G. Elwesi Olympus. G. Elwesi and a seedling of my own raising 
are in bud, and from these I shall cross-fertilise for the purpose of 
lengthening the flowering period, and if possible improve the flowers, 
—W T 
(fig. 2) has been prepared, and it will be seen that this Costus merits 
more attention than is usually given it. The flowers are flat, of a rich 
orange colour, and are usually borne in clusters on the top of the stems. 
The leaves also are of an ornamental character, and are produced in 
crowded masses, as depicted in the engraving. Like most of the Costus, 
this species thrives best in a stove, heat and moisture being essential to 
its successful culture. A first-class certificate was awarded for the 
above mentioned plant by the Floral Committee of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society. 
