160 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 29, 1833. 
were exhibited by Mr. James Booth, Chairman of the Society ; Mr. R. 
Alford, Magdala Road, and others. 
A cordi.al vote of thanks was awardetl to Mr, Steward for his excel¬ 
lent essay. 
SPRING FLOWERS. 
The following are some of the most prominent plants now in 
flower, the beauty of which cannot be too widely known. 
Anejioxe rl.vnd.v (Winter Windflower).—This must not be 
confounded with A. apennina blanda, which flowers some weeks 
later, and though a good plant, it cannot be comp.ared with the 
first-named, either in size or general beauty, although in some 
respects it appears nearly allied. The flowers are sky-blue, about 
2 inches across. It delights in peaty soil, or equal parts of peat 
and loam, and if a position sheltered from the blustering winds of 
March can be devoted to it, so much the better. In sheltered 
gardens this is a lovely plant, and if used as a belting to a bed of 
Khododendrons or dwarf-growing American shrubs, it will afford 
most pleasing results. Every endeavour should be made to increase 
the stock of this plant, either by seeds or division. I prefer to sow 
the former as soon as ripe, and if all goes well the seeds will ger¬ 
minate in the following spring. The seedlings in turn should have 
every attention, and by the end of the growing season will have 
made good tubers, some of which will have flowered. Those who 
liave had the opportunities to raise this plant in quantity from 
seeds will know how variable are the plants ; and while these, so far 
as my experience of the plant is concerned, never surpass in beauty 
that of the original, yet many of them are nearly equal to it, and 
the worst well deserving every care. 
Ane.\ionk iTLGExs.— Another member of this genus. Anemone 
fulgens, is now striving to flower, and under the following circum¬ 
stances. In the summer of last year the surplus of a large im¬ 
portation was planted, then, consequent upon their having been dry 
for a very Ijngthened period, somewhat shrivelled. At planting 
time the ground was dust drj', the result being that, apart from 
sw'elling considerably, the Anemone made no attempt to grow till 
the autumn rains began, when the ground was soon strewn with 
Joliage, and towards the end of the j'ear the flowers began to push 
forth. Could these have been protected from the severe weather 
of late there would have been a great show of bloom ; as it was 
the bed has not been free from the brilliant scarlet flowers all the 
winter. I plac:ed a few lights temporarily over them, which pro¬ 
tected them from the winds that have damaged so many things 
of late. This goes to show that, however lite these tubers are 
obtained, we are sure to secure a season of bloom from them, and 
should this come at the right time, so much the better. I have 
before planted some very much dried and shrivelled tubers late in 
spring, and had them in full flower in three months from planting. 
This is important, as showing what a succession of bloom a series 
of plantings may bring. 
Ciiioxonox.as, Scii.l.vs, Puschkixus. —Then comes the “Glory 
of the Snow,” Chionodoxa Lucilia;, now glistening with its lovely 
flowers, so dwarf, so pleasing, while it is hardy and most enduring. 
I have a bed containing several thousands of its bulbs, planted 
about 2 inches deep, where they get froze hard as stone, coming 
through the soil as though nothing had happened, and expand¬ 
ing their blossoms in endless numbers. Scilla bifolia is just a 
day or two in advance of the last named, and its miniature sprays of 
blue are very pleasing. Both these plants and also Chioiiodoxa 
sardensis have been in flower in cold frames, and are now nearly 
past. Another beauty among early bulbs is Puschkinia scilloides. 
One cannot have too much of these things, so truly delightful are 
they. Here we have a white flower distinctly striped with blue, 
calculated to delight the most fastidious. It is an acquisition for 
the rockery or border in the early daj’s of the year. 
Syjluis RETiCULAT.a.— The intense violet purple of the delightfully 
fragrant flowers is always admired, and that deservedly, for no other 
spring bulbous plant can equal it. Choose a warm, sunny, and 
sheltered nook for this lovely gem, and plant it in vei’y sandy loam. 
It is quite hardy, and should be in all collections of choice plants. 
There are several varieties of this plant, notably cyanea and 
Krelagei, the latter having light purple lilac flowers, quite distinct 
from all else. The seeds of these should be eagerly sought. All 
the forms of these netted Iris seed freely, and every care should be 
taken of them, and sow as soon as gathered. There is hardly a 
garden where this cannot be grown perfectly, for should the soil in 
the open ground be clayey, and consequently not suited to them, 
they may be grown admirably in pots in sandy loam sheltered by a 
cold frame or haudlight. 
Hepatic'.\S. —Another lovely group now in flower is formed hy 
the Hepaticas, the innocent beauty of which cannot be overlooked. 
We find them represented by many shades of blue, lilac, and 
mauve, as v ell as red, pink, both single and double. Then we have 
two very decided varieties in the single white and the old double 
blue. All these are peculiarly charming and full of interest in 
early spring, and should be largely grown by all who have room for 
a few of the most delightful of spring plants. 
Dafeohils. —Next we come into that multitudinous group of 
plants, the Daffodils and Narcissus, but these are later than usual. 
Foremost amongst them, however, are the white Hoop Petticoat, 
N. monophyllus—so innocent and pretty are its satiny flowers— 
then the tiny little Trumpet Daffodil, N. minimus, just above the 
surface of the soil. This little one should have a spot where it 
can receive shelter from harsh winds and pelting rains, or its 
flowers are liable to be spoiled. Following this comes one of the 
most delightful of all, I mean Narcissus pallidus prsecox, the soft 
yellow and sulphur of whose flowers are beyond description. I 
seem the more impressed of this fact as I annually see them 
develope into flower. There is much more in this lovely Pyrenean 
Daffodil than may appear at first sight, inasmuch as it opens up a 
