12 
family is large, and contains superb speci- 
mens. They are easily grown, but many 
of them are better suited for pot culture 
than the open border. Some of the most 
desirable are: , 
Belladonna, with its fragrant silvery 
rose flowers; produced in autumn, when 
ordinary flowers are scarce. 
Ciliaris (Buphane — Venus’ 
Orange. 
Falcata (Ammocharis).—Rose. 
Gigantea (Brunsvigia Josephine), the 
Candelabra flower.—Crimson. 
Incarnata (Coburghia).—Orange red. 
Purpurea (Vallotta or Scarborough 
Lily)—Deep blood red. 
Purpurea Major.—-Similar to above, but 
a little larger. 
Formosissima (Sprekelia)—Dark scarlet. 
Although expensive bulbs, they make a 
grand display, and are well worthy of cul- 
tivation. 
Anemones.are a highly ornamental class 
of easily cultivated tubers, of dwarf habit, 
foliage elegant, and flowers large, of nearly 
all shades of color; will grow in any ordi- 
nary soil, but well repay a little extra care 
in cultivation. If planted in succession, 
may be had in bloom for a long time. Well 
suited for ribbons or beds. Those most 
grown are the double forms of Coronaria, 
and a good bed of assorted varieties when 
in full bloom is a sight not to be forgotten. 
A. chrysanthemiflora (Giant French) is 
of robust growth and very attractive. 
A. fulgens and its double form are a 
great acquisition, being of a brilliant crim- 
son. 
A. Hortensis (Star Anemone of France), 
of which there are many varieties, is also 
very beautiful, and admirably adapted for 
pot culture as well as the open border. 
A. Japonica and its varieties, alba and 
alba elegans, excel all others for grand dis- 
play, established clumps bearing many 
branching spikes 3 to 4 ft. high, of crimson, 
rose, or pure white flowers. For cuts and 
decorative purposes they are scarcely to be 
Lily).— 
equalled. 
Antholizas, - Bobartias, Bulbocodiums, 
Callas, Cyclamens, and Dahlias are too 
well known to need description; but I 
cannot pass over the 
Freesias, of which there are several 
species, all more or less sweet scented. The 
best if Refracta odorata alba, one of the 
most charming gems of recent introduction, 
perfectly hardy, is suitable for flower bor- 
ders or forcing, of dwarf habit, and very 
floriferous, producing a spike of pure white 
flowers about a foot in height, most deli- 
ciously fragrant. For cut flowers it can- 
not be excelled, and may be had in bloom 
from June to August.” 
The Hemanthus, or Blood Flowers, are 
of most unique appearance, although 
curious, are most showy, and when in 
bloom no flowers are more striking, the 
colors being most brilliant—generally red, 
scarlet, crimson, or orange, shaded, mot- 
tled, or splashed. Bulbs very large, but of 
dwarf habit. 
Ixias are pretty Cape bulbs, of most 
graceful habit, splendid for borders, most 
useful for cut flowers, and perfectly hardy ; 
always a favorite; but the Ixias of the 
present time are vastly different to those 
of the Amaryllids. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER, 
MaRCH 2, 1903. 
of'a few years since. No flower has more 
improved under the skilful management of 
the florist, and many of the varieties now 
ofiered rival the Gladiolus in general effect. 
They increase rapidly, but may remain in 
the ground for years; no soil or situation 
comes amiss to them. 
Lachenalias also, with one exception, 
are Cape bulbs, producing numerous 
tubular flowers, thickly set on a stout 
flower stalk from six inches to one foot in 
height. A few are self-colored, but most 
ef them are of several colors, the most 
common being mixtures of scarlet, red, 
yellow, white, pink, and green. Good for 
berders or forcing. 
The Leucojum or Snowflake is almost too 
well known here to need description. No 
bulb is hardier than this, and for choice 
flowers for button-hole, bridal, or exhibi- 
tion. bouquets no flower is more useful. It 
is pure white, tipped on each petal with a 
green spot; is of most elegant and! chaste 
appearance, anid should be grown by every 
one. These bulbs do best when left in 
the ground undisturbed for a number of 
years. 
The Muscari (Feather, Grape, and Musk 
Hyacinths) have been grown in England 
for upwards of 300 years, and are well 
worth growing here, being interesting bor- 
der plants of easy culture, well suited for 
ribbons or masses. The racemes of the 
Grape and Musk are very dense and com- 
pact, and of lovely shades of color. The 
Feather is curiously tufted and frizzled, 
most unique in character, and very strik- 
ing. 
Nerines are well known popular plants, 
cf easy culture, and fragrant. Sarniensis, 
the so-called Guernsey Lily, one of the 
best, is a native of the Cape. It got its 
popular name from the fact of a Cape ship 
partly freighted with the bulbs being 
wrecked on the Guernsey coast, the bulbs 
floating ashore found a genial home on the 
sandy coast, thus laying the foundation of 
what has become a most important trade— 
the growth of the bulbs for the English 
market. Color, violet red. | Corusca pro- 
duces large clusters of scarlet flowers. 
Ornothogulum, or Star of Bethlehem.— 
This genus contains many species of con- 
siderable merit, are hardy, early flowering, 
and showy. The best probably are Um- 
bellatum pyramidal and Arabicum. The 
latter, known as the great-flowered, is one 
of the largest and most striking. Flower 
stems eighteen inches to two feet high. 
Flowers large and set on the stem with 
long pedicles, color, white, with black cen- 
tre; most useful for bouquets and decora- 
tive purposes, as the flowers open in suc- 
cession for a considerable time. 
Pancritiums and Ismenes form one of 
the most beautiful and distinct divisions 
Mostly white, occa- 
sionally marked with a delicate emerald 
green stripe, and very fragrant, produced 
in trusses of from two to seven flowers on 
a stem rising to the height of from one 
foot to eighteen inches ; admirably adapted 
for wreaths, centres of bouquets, and the 
decoration of vases. Similar in appear- 
ance to the Eucharis, many of them almost 
equal to it in size and purity. Of easy 
culture, but flowers require protection 
from wind and sun. ; 
The Polianthes (Tuberose) with its tall 
spikes and sweet perfume cannot be over- 
looked. It is only of late years this plant 
has attained its great popularity. In the 
hili districts, or for greenhouse, frame, or 
shadehouse, it is a treasure, but is scarcely 
suitable for open border on the plains, un- 
less it is in protected situations and well 
supplied with water. For cut flowers it is 
most useful, as like the Gladiolus the 
smallest buds will open in water after the 
spikes are cut. 
Although the Ranunculi furnish some 
notorious and troublesome weeds, almost 
rivalling the couch grass in rapidity of 
multiplication and the tenacity with which 
they hold their possessions, among dwarf 
flowers some of the species are unrivalled 
for their lovely form and brilliant and at- 
tractive colors, being generally of various 
shades of white, crimson, yellow, purple, 
and almost black, about two or three inches 
in diameter, and as double as the finest 
Rose or Camellia, each plant supplying 
from ten to fifteen blooms. When planted 
in masses the effect is superb. As cut 
flowers they are more useful even than the 
Rose, and will keep in water for a week 
or a fortnight after they are cut. The 
Persian and Scotch are generally of dwarf 
habit, from six to 12 inches, mostly im- 
bricated, very double, and in great variety 
of colors—striped, edged, splashed, or bril- 
liant selfs, whereas the French and Turban 
are distinguished for their great size, 
strength, and beauty, averaging 12 to 18 
inches’ in height, generally Peony, 
flowered, and are less variegated oy 
splashed than the former. Any garden . 
soil of average quality will suit them, and 
with little attntion, will continue in bloom 
for two months. If the colors are nicely 
blended in planting they make a most gor- 
geous display. Properly harvested bulbs 
will keep a great length of time, and may 
be: planted so as to come in succession for 
at least four months, especially if the late 
plantings get a fair supply of water. 
Scilla (Squills)—No garden can be com- 
plete without these lovely flowers; rang- 
ing in color from blue, rose, and flesh color 
to white, can be had in immense variety. 
Most: effective in borders, and extremely 
useful for cut flowers, lasting a long time 
in water; generally dwarf, from 4 to 9 in. 
high ; but Peruvian and Peruviana 
alba (known. as the Peruvian Hyacinths) 
ace noble flowers, growing to the height of 
two feet, producing large corymbs of splen- 
did flowers most useful for decorative pur- 
poses. Campanulata also grows tall, and 
is very robust. 
Sparaxis, Tritonias, and Babianas are 
showy dwarf Cape bulbs of the easiest cul- 
ture, hardy, and floriferous, most useful 
for borders or growing among shrubs, oc- 
cupy but little room, and should be in 
every garden. 
