or spikes. They luxuriate best in deep, rich, rather moist loam, and are available either for the mixed border or for introducing amongst shrubs; and the stronger-growing species are also very fit subjects for naturalising in open moist woods, and by the banks of streams and pieces of water. All are easily increased by division in autumn or in early spring.

A. creticus, syn. A. capillaris (Dwarf Yellow Asphodel).— This species grows about 18 inches or 2 feet high. The stems are clothed with narrow, linear, dark-green leaves, diminishing in length as they ascend, and disappearing altogether some way below the raceme. The raceme is rather open, and the flowers are yellow, appearing in June and July. Native of Candia.

A. fistulosus (Hollow-leaved Asphodel).-A very distinct species, but not one of the most ornamental. The leaves are all confined to the roots, and are produced there in dense masses, and are roundish, hollow, and about 2 feet long. The flower-stems are erect, about 21⁄2 or 3 feet high. The racemes are rather loose, and the flowers are white, appearing in June and lasting a month or two. Native of France and Italy. One of the best for naturalising, and least worthy of an important position.

A. luteus (Tall Yellow Asphodel).-This is one of the handsomest of the species. It grows about 3 feet high, the stems being clothed to the base of the raceme with the triangular narrow-tapering leaves, which are dark green, and marked with narrow longitudinal lines of a paler colour. The racemes are dense and erect, and the flowers bright yellow, appearing in May, June, and July. Native of many countries of southern Europe.

A. ramosus (Branching White Asphodel).—This is a bold striking species, growing in rich moist soil often to the height of 5 feet. The leaves are all radical, and are sharply keeled on the under side and channeled above, and 2 or more feet long. The stems are smooth, round, and branch out freely into bold open racemes. The flowers are white, and appear in May and June. Native of France, Italy, Corsica, and Sardinia.

Bulbocodium vernum (Spring B.)-A very pretty little plant at first sight, resembling a Crocus, but easily distinguished from that genus always by the six stamens and the inferior perianth; and further distinguished by the structure of the bulb and its covering, which is of a downy nature, not fibrous, as in the case of the Crocus. The plant grows well in any good, light, welldrained loam, and is increased by division of the roots, which should take place immediately the leaves are ripe. The flowers appear in February and March, a short time before the leaves,

and are erect, only an inch or two above ground; they open Crocus-like, and are deeply divided into six lance-shaped rosypurple segments. The leaves are lance-shaped, channeled, or concave on the upper side, and ultimately grow about 9 inches long. Its very early-flowering quality should render it popular in gardens of all classes when it becomes better known, but at present it is not often seen in private gardens. Native of mountain pastures on the Alps and Pyrenees.

Camassia esculenta (Quamash).—A very handsome bulbous plant, but the flowers are not very lasting. The leaves are all radical, or having one or two only developed at the base of the stem. They are lanceolate, weak, and shortlived. The flower-stems are garnished with several flabby leaf-like appendages, and produce a long, graceful, loose raceme of soft purplish-blue flowers, 11⁄2 or 2 inches across. They appear in July. The plant succeeds best in peat and loam, and requires ample supplies of moisture in the growing season'; drought, indeed, is death to it, but stagnation is equally to be avoided. Division should be done when needful, immediately after the foliage is ripe. Native of Columbia. Height of scapes about 18 inches or 2 feet.

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Chrysobactron Hookeri (New Zealand Asphodel).—A very beautiful plant, with the aspect of some of the Asphodels. The leaves are strap-shaped, channeled at the base, 9 inches to I foot long, and all are radical. The scape is 1 foot or 18 inches high, supporting a handsome raceme of beautiful golden-yellow flowers, which open in May and June. Native of New Zealand. It succeeds best in moist peat and loam, in a moderately sunny position, and is quite hardy. Propagate by division in early autumn or spring.

Colchicum (Meadow Saffron).-These are very wonderful plants, and withal beautiful. They are wonderful, especially as regards the manner of and the time required for the production of seeds. All are autumn-flowering plants, and very late in that season it generally is in most parts of the country before they do open their flowers, and they die off without leaving a trace behind of the usual seed-vessels that follow after flowers. The seeds, however, are formed, and safely stored up, deep down in the earth away from danger, where they lie till spring comes round and calls them forth, after months of burial, to mature their development above ground. They succeed best in moist, deep, sandy loam, but do very well in a variety of soils, and are propagated by offsets, which they produce freely.

C. autumnale (Common Meadow Saffron).-This is very commonly in gardens named Autumn Crocus. It is one of the

latest flowers to appear in our beds and borders out of doors. The flowers appear alone, without leaves, and consist of six lance-shaped somewhat spreading petals, rosy-purple in colour, and supported only an inch or two above ground. The leaves begin to grow after the flowers cease, and reach their fullest development the following spring and early summer. They are lance-shaped, dark olive-green, and about 9 to 12 inches long, and 1 or 11⁄2 inch broad. Flowers in September, October, and November. Native of moist pastures in Britain and many other countries of Europe. There are several varieties, amongst which the double-flowered and the white are the most useful for gardens; and there is another with variegated flowers, the variegation consisting in deeper and lighter shades of purple, which sometimes does duty as a species under the name C. variegatum.

C. Bivona (Narrow-leaved Meadow Saffron).-This species has the same habit of flowering without the leaves as the last; but the leaves are narrower and shorter, and the divisions of the corolla are broader and blunter, and are marked by prominent veins. The flowers appear about the same time as those of the last. Native of Sicily and Sardinia.

There are several other forms of Meadow Saffron in cultivation, but as they all resemble each other more or less closely, and flower nearly about the same time, the above are all that need be described here. The following are desirable when the collection is large :—C. byzantinum, very free-flowering, and with short broad leaves; C. montanum, the leaves narrow, lance-shaped, appearing with the flowers, and much more spreading than is usual with those of the other species.

Convallaria majalis (Lily of the Valley).—This deliciously fragrant and elegant plant is a very old and still popular favourite with all lovers of flowers. There are few cultivated plants that yield so much gratification at so little cost of trouble and expense. It grows and flowers well in nearly every kind of soil that is not subject to severe drought; and once it is planted it may be left a lifetime to itself without suffering any diminution of vigour, if a little annual top-dressing of old manure and fresh loam be sifted on to the surface of the bed. It is essentially a plant for furnishing material for bouquets and roomdecoration, and in no sense can it be regarded as a good border ornament; it should therefore have some handy spot in the garden devoted to itself, which may always be accessible to the ladies of the establishment. It prefers shade, being a native of woods and bushy pastures and moist valleys, but will do well fully exposed to the sun if the soil is not extremely dry; and

it is well to have it planted in various aspects, as by that means a lengthened succession of the flowers is enjoyed. There is no better plant for forcing for the decoration of rooms and conservatories; and for this purpose large supplies of roots are annually imported by British nurserymen and florists at great expense to meet the demand for it, which is great and increasing. It may be naturalised in moist places in open woods where the natural herbage is not rampant or can be kept in check, and it may be introduced into spaces between shrubs. There are several varieties-one with double flowers is not worth growing beside the normal form; there is also a pretty rose-coloured variety which has often specific dignity put upon it under the name C. rubra; and there is a pretty striatedleaved form well worth a place in borders for the sake of the elegance of the yellow-and-green-lined foliage.

Erythronium. A small genus of low-growing, bulbous-rooted plants, in which the leaves are all radical. The Dog's-tooth Violet, E. dens-canis, is not an uncommon species, but not so common as it deserves to be in gardens of all classes. They are very accommodating as regards culture, thriving well in any good rich loam, but preferring peat or a mixture of peat and loam, and are easily propagated by offsets, which are freely produced. Division should be attended to immediately after the leaves decline. They are suitable for culture on the rockwork in the mixed border, and for fringing beds of shrubs; and being spring-flowering plants, they are available and very suitable for spring "bedding-out."

E. americanum (Yellow Dog's-tooth Violet).-This form produces broadly lance-shaped brown-spotted leaves, whence spring the short scapes supporting one large yellowish flower. The flowers appear in April, and last about a month. Native of North America.

E. dens-canis (Common Dog's-tooth Violet).—This species has broadly-ovate, brown-blotched leaves. The scapes are rather longer and more slender than in the last, and each scape supports a solitary flower with long lance-shaped petals, reddishpurple in colour. They open in March and April. There are two varieties in cultivation besides the typical sort, both worthy of a place in collections for variety's sake-the one has dull white, and the other paler purple flowers. Native of the alpine countries of Europe.

Another species formerly in cultivation, but now, I fear, lost, is E. giganteum, a native of North America. It has broad, blunt, ovate, brown-spotted leaves. The flowers are white, with a yellow centre, and are produced two or three together

on the scape. It is the most distinct of the genus, and worth looking after.

Fritillaria (Fritillary). This is a large genus of elegant and attractively curious rather than showy plants. They are striking and interesting ornaments of the mixed border. They thrive in any good loam-the richer the better; but they are impatient of stagnant moisture, and equally so of extreme drought. They are increased by the natural development of offsets from the older bulbs, and the division should take place immediately after the leaves and stems decay; and all are invigorated by periodical lifting and replanting, say every three or four years.

F. imperialis (Crown Imperial).—A stately, striking plant, growing erect, 3 or 4 feet high. The stems are clothed with leaves for fully half their length, the upper part being naked and terminating in a head of large pendulous flowers, surmounted by a crown of leaves. There are several varieties differing in the colour of the flowers-one termed flava has yellow flowers, and is rather more robust, though not more showy, than the others; another variety has orange-coloured flowers; and a third has the flowers showy red. Besides these, there is a handsome variegated-leaved sort well worth a place. The Crown Imperial is a native of Persia.

F. Meleagris (Snake's-head F.)-This is a peculiar and elegant dwarf species indigenous to Britain and other countries of Europe. It grows about 1 foot high, erect, and the stems are clothed with lance-shaped glaucous leaves from base to top. The flowers are solitary, drooping from the summit of the stem, are widely bell-shaped, incurved at the mouth, and prettily marbled with reddish-purple on a dull white ground. They appear in March, and last a month or two. Of this species there are also two or three distinct varieties as regards the colour of the flowers, and there is one with double flowers quite unworthy of a place except as a curiosity. The most distinct and desirable of the others is the variety named F. M. alba; and there is a dusky yellow sort well worth a place for variety's sake.

F. nigra (Black F.)-A very distinct species, rather taller than the last, with erect stems clothed with narrower lanceshaped glaucous leaves. The flowers are solitary, drooping from the top of the stem; they are bell-shaped, with a narrower base than that of the last species, and the divisions of the corolla reflex at the mouth, showing somewhat of the greenishyellow colour of the interior of the flower. Externally they are

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