NOVEMBER. 
251 
had not less than twelve bulbs of any one kind, I was enabled to work out 
the task of comparison somewhat satisfactorily to myself at least, both 
by taking note of the shape of the bulbs, and afterwards by comparing the 
flowers when in bloom. 
Of diversities in the habit and style of growth of the different varieties 
but little can be said. The early-flowering Cloth of Gold, the Common 
Yellow, and the Versicolor, are peculiar in this respect; the other varieties 
must be classed together, excepting, perhaps, that though the style of 
foliage may be much the same, the largest bulbs invariably produce the 
strongest leaves. The earliest to bloom are the Yellows; the earliest of 
these two—for there are but two distinct varieties of yellow spring-flowering 
Crocus—is the Cloth of Gold. It is very dwarf-growing, and blooms 
freely. The Common Yellow is a little later, grows taller and stronger, and 
produces more flowers than any other variety. It is remarkably free in 
blooming, and as a rule should be allowed plenty of room, as the bulbs 
branch out in a remarkable degree. The Giant Yellow, the large, and 
also the new Golden Yellow, are but larger bulbs of this variety. It is im¬ 
ported generally in two sizes, and where extra sized roots are added, they 
are christened and priced accordingly. The old Crocus versicolor, or Cloth 
of Silver Crocus—for any original difference between them appears to be 
entirely lost—is a dwarf-growing and very free-blooming kind, and does well 
for massing. The flowers are white, with purple stripes, but they are 
neither so large nor so stout as the newer striped varieties. The Scotch 
Crocus, so called, now rarely met with, is a striped variety imported from 
Holland under that name. The bulbs are very peculiar, being bard and 
smooth, and unlike any other spring-flowering kind. After these it would 
be difficult to assign the order of flowering. Speaking generally, the 
Striped varieties are the earliest, then the Blues, and lastly the Whites. 
Of the Striped varieties, Bride of Lammermoor, La Majesteuse, and Sir 
Walter Scott are three very fine varieties, of much the same build and 
growth, Bride of Lammermoor being the darkest, and Sir Walter Scott 
the boldest in the colour of the stripe. Of the darker striped kinds, Albion 
is the largest and showiest; the flowers are large, and of a globular shape, 
heavily flaked and striped with violet; it is also distinct and good. 
Florence Nightingale is a large and bold light striped variety. Ida 
Pfeiffer, a lovely flower of good form, delicately striped with rosy lilac, very 
fine. Madame Mina, a very pretty and free-blooming pale violet-striped 
flower, of good form. Princess Alexandra, Argus, Comtesse de Morny, 
Parnassus, Elfrida, and Albertine, are more than summed up in the sorts 
described above—they are not even required as varieties. Rhea Sylvia is a 
medium-sized pale, striped flower, hut very pretty. Duke of Cumberland, a 
deep lilac, with stripes of a darker shade, and edged with white, is a some¬ 
what curious and novel flower, which could be classed both with the Blue 
and the Striped varieties, and yet belongs exclusively to neither, so that 
perhaps it would be best to class it with the Edged flowers. I had two forms 
of Argus, one a very pale striped flower of medium size ; the other, a heavy 
violet striped flower with more colour in it than could be seen in Albion, 
though otherwise not differing materially from it, nor yet quite so large. 
Lastly, Maria, La Sylphide, Miss Priestly, Geant des Batailles, Baron Chasse, 
Duchess of Sutherland, Napoleon, Leviathan and Philades are sorts that 
can be obtained to suit the fancy of the importer to whom names are an 
object, hut are scarcely required for any other purpose than to impart 
obesity to a catalogue. 
