March 23, 1907. 
THE 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
203 
Siberian S qu ill 
(Scilla sibirica). 
A great many shades of blue are 
implied by bulbous plants, but few, if 
ny, supply a brighter blue than Scilla 
ibirica. It may be cultivated either for 
reenhouse or border decoration, or form 
clump an the rockery, but the colour 
, 1)CVC r more highly developed than when 
he plant is grown in the open air and 
flowed to come into bloom with the 
natural rise of temperature in spring. 
Ithough not the earliest Squill to come 
ito bloom in the open border, it may be 
onsidered as taking the place of a second 
jarly. In the South of England it some- 
mes blooms in February after a mild 
inter, but March would more often be its 
lonth after a winter like the past. In 
re far north it may even be detained till 
.pril, as snow may fall more or less dur- 
ig March and April in very bad winters. 
The plant varies from 3 in. to 6 in. high, 
nd although the average stem bears only- 
vo flowers, the bulbs may be planted 
lirly closely, and in that case a mass of 
owers is produced of the most vivid sky- 
lue. The Siberian Squill is perfectly 
ardy, and requires no protection. In- 
eed, the better exposed it is to light and 
ir provided it is sheltered from bluster- 
rg winds, the happier and brighter it 
aems to be. 
Bulbs that are intended for flowering 
1 the greenhouse should not be planted 
10 thickly in the garden, but given at 
last 3 in.' or 4 in. from bulb to bulb to 
ncourage good growth, and thereby en- 
jre flowers of large size when flowered 
1 pots. The bulbs may also be assorted 
ito sizes to ensure an equal growth in the 
ots or pans. In exceptional cases three 
owers are produced on a stalk. 
The Siberian Squill 
glass. Nevertheless it enables flowers to 
be had in quantity with a minimum 
amount of labour in attention and also 
expense. 
•Amateurs who require only a small num¬ 
ber and to have them early should also 
adopt this plan of potting up the bulbs in 
fairly moist soil in August or September. 
The pots can then be plunged in ashes or 
cocoanut fibre in a cold frame and left 
(Scilla sibirica). 
there until they have made a considerable 
amount of growth. The advantage of 
this treatment is that the plants are near 
the glass and get all the benefit of light. 
Air can also be given, and should always 
be given after the leaves make their ap¬ 
pearance. This induces a dwarf, sturdy 
growth, and gives substance to the leaves, 
thereby ensuring strong flower stems with 
good spikes of flowers. 
reesia 
The ordinary wild form of this sweet- 
cented cape bulb is creamy white, with 
nore or less conspicuous yellow blotches 
n the throat. In the white variety (h ■ 
refracta alba) the brown colour is purer 
' nd the blotches are more or less oblite- 
ated. sometimes being entirely absent. 
The sweet scent of the flowers, as much 
]is the purity of colour, makes this one 
if the most popular of flowers for green- 
, louse and conservatory decoration during 
. inter and spring. 
To give this plant justice it is best 
| lotted in the autumn earlier or later ac¬ 
cording to the time the flowers are re¬ 
pined to be in bloom. In Guernsey 
t has been the custom fox many years 
past to get flowers during December and 
he early part of the year. With) this 
ibject in view, the bulbs are planted in 
inery borders intended to be stalled 
arly. The bulbs are planted- in August, 
md in. the. moist soil they commence to 
prout and are well advanced before wili¬ 
er arrives. In these conditions the 
ilants are perhaps not so strong in growth 
.s if cultivated in pots and kept near the 
Freesia refracta, 
refracta. 
