1882 .] 
THE DOGS-TOOTH VIOLETS. 
168 
THE DOG’S-TOOTH VIOLETS* 
THE Dog’s-tooth Violets form an ex- 
I I tremely pretty genus of the great Lily 
w 
family, very distinct in appearance and 
easily grown. They are perfectly 
hardy, and appear to disregard the irregu¬ 
larities of our climate, which is not the case 
with many of our introduced bulbous plants, 
especially those from North America. The 
common Erythroniuvi dens canis and some of 
its varieties are European; all the rest are 
American. The species are naturally divisible 
into two groups—viz., those with solitary 
flowers, including E. dens canis, and its 
varieties E. albidum and E. propullans ; and 
those with from one to eight flowers, repre¬ 
sented by E. grandiflorum, and its varieties 
E. Hartwegi and E. purpurascens. 
There is no difficulty attending the cultiva¬ 
tion of these plants, neither are they very 
fastidious as to soil, as I have known them 
thrive in almost any soil and position, with 
the exception of stiff clay. They thrive ad¬ 
mirably in light sandy rich soil; and if the 
position is sheltered they are extremely 
showy, and most interesting as a group of 
hardy flowers. It is not well to disturb them 
very often, as they will not be nearly so at¬ 
tractive if but half established. They should 
remain undisturbed for some three or four 
years, until the bulbs are overcrowded. It 
must be borne in mind that during the 
greater part of the summer they are dormant, 
and hence their exact position should be 
marked, so that they may not be disturbed 
when the summer flowering-plants are re¬ 
moved. This could be very easily managed 
on a rockery, where they would be very 
charming and welcome. 
The bulbs should bo planted as early as 
possible after September, in clumps, to have 
the best effect. Most of the rarer species will 
probably be imported, but it is advisable to 
get home-grown bulbs if possible. In the 
event of having imported specimens it is de¬ 
sirable at first to pot them in light sandy soil 
(leaf soil, loam, and sand in equal parts) in 
small pots, and place them in a cold frame, 
just keeping them damp until root-action has 
thoroughly commenced, when they may with- 
* Abridged from the Journal of Horticulture. 
out hesitation be planted out. This is 
merely advised as a precaution against pos¬ 
sible loss and consequent disappointment. 
E. albidum, Nuttall .-—Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 
not mottled or dotted. Flowers solitary, bluish- 
white, with the segments entire at the base. The 
flowers are rarely quite white. It is a widely distri¬ 
buted plant, similar to the next, occurring from New 
York and Pennsylvania to Minnesota and Texas. 
It flowers in April and May, and was introduced in 
1824. 
E.AMKBiCANUMjiSmtiA.—llulbs very small, brown¬ 
ish. Leaves oblong or oblong-lanceolate, mottled 
and dotted. Flowers solitary, light yellow, 1 to 1£ 
inch long, frequently spotted with purple at the base ; 
segments slightly tootbed at the base. It flowers 
with us in April and May, and has been known 
under cultivation ever since 1665. It enjoys peaty 
soil; in fact it does not thrive so well without 
as with peat. It is found from Canada to Fieri a 
and Arkansas. It has received various other names, 
as E. lanceolatum, Pursh , caroliniana, Walters, Nut- 
talbanum, Schultes fit, &c. 
E. dens canis, Linnceus. — Bulbs much largerthan 
in the two foregoing. Leaves ovate, ovate-lanceolate, 
or oblong, copiously mottled. Flowers solitary, l—1 £ 
inch long and nearly as wide, usually of a pinkish- 
ERYTHBONIUM DENS CANIS. 
purple colour, but sometimes white, yellow, and of 
different shades of red. The white variety, which is 
named albidum, is very pretty, as also is the yellow- 
flowered kiud. They are all of extremely easy 
culture, flowering outside early in Anril, being per¬ 
fectly hardy. Tuey are natives of Hungary, Italy, 
&c., and have b°en introduced since 1566. The 
typical form is well figured in the Botanical Maga¬ 
zine, t. 5. 
E. grandiflorum, Pursh. — A very var’able 
plant, with bulbs frequently 2 inches long but nar¬ 
row. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, not mottled. Flowers 
solitary, or usually in racemes with from two to six 
flowers of a primrose yellow or cream colour, the 
base more or less tinged with orange, lj—2 Aches 
long. Mr. Sereno Watson has enumerated some 
varieties, which, however, he admits may be specific 
forms. Var. alhijlorum (syn. E. giganteum, hind¬ 
leg) has large white flowers, oiange at the base and 
mottled leaves. Yar. minor has flowers about an 
inch long, bright yellow'. Yar. Smith'd (s\n. E. 
revolutum, Smith) has large flowers tinged with 
purple or rose c lour. Some, ] erhaps all of the e 
