[FRITILLARIA].—There are fifty species or more belonging to this genus, but many of them, although highly interesting, are so dull in colour or small in blossom, that they are only likely to be met with in botanical collections. The common Crown Imperial (F. imperialis), shown in Plate 16, figs. 65 and 66, with its sturdy stems, 2 to 3 feet high, bright green wavy leaves, and bright yellow drooping blossoms, is probably the best known; but there are many forms of it in which the flowers vary in colour from yellow to orange and bright red. The Snake's Head (F. Meleagris) is another well-known species to be seen growing naturally in moist meadows in parts of England. Its beautiful white, rosy or purple blossoms (see [Plate 8], fig. 33) droop from the stalks, 1 to 1-1/2 feet high in April and May, and are beautifully chequered with deeper coloured bands. For naturalising in the grass with Narcissi, Dog's Tooth Violets, &c., this is a very valuable plant. F. Moggridgei, a dwarf form of the purple, brown, and yellow delphinensis, is another good garden plant shown on [Plate 8], fig. 31. The following kinds may be used for naturalising in the grass or for grouping in nooks of the rock-garden:—Fusco-lutea, aurea, citrina, lusitanica, lutea, askabadensis (finely figured in "Flora and Sylva,") discolor, pallidiflora, pudica, Thunbergi, Whittalli, all with yellow or greenish-yellow blossoms, and ranging from 6 to 12 inches high. To these may be added F. recurva ([Plate 8], fig. 34), a Californian species, about 1 foot high, and remarkable for its drooping bright orange-scarlet blossoms, the interior of which is yellow blotched with purple. F. camtschatcensis, the "Black Lily," has deep blackish-red flowers. It flourishes in moist sandy loam and peat.
F. Walujewi, with narrow tendril-tipped leaves, has silver-grey flowers suffused with purple brown, and spotted with red and white within (see [Plate 8], fig. 32). To these may be added armena, dark purple; Elwesi, green and purple; pyrenaica, green and purple, spotted; persica or libanotica, chocolate, purple and green; latifolia, purple, lilac, yellow, &c.
The Fritillarias have bulbs of various sizes, and many of them—notably those of F. imperialis—emit a very strong and disagreeable odour. They produce offsets freely in most cases, and in this way the stock may be increased. The best time for lifting and transplanting the bulbs is after the foliage has withered.
ORNITHOGALUM PYRAMIDALE (74) BREVOORTIA IDA-MAIA (75) BRODIÆA LAXA (76) BRODIÆA IXIOIDES (77)
[GAGEA] lutea.—This British plant, with small roundish bulbs, and long narrow leaves, is called the "Yellow Star of Bethlehem" on account of its yellow starry flowers, with a green central line, appearing from March to May on stalks about 6 inches high. It grows in ordinary garden soil and may be increased by offsets.
[GALANTHUS] (Snowdrop).—The common British Snowdrop (G. nivalis) is an old time garden favourite, not only on account of the purity of its blossoms—almost rivalling the whiteness of the snow—but because they appear during the very dullest months of the year, often before Christmas, and lasting till the Crocuses, early Narcissi, Chionodoxas, Bulbocodiums, Leucojums, &c., come to keep them company. A few blooms are shown on [Plate 2], fig. 8, not because it was necessary to tell the reader what a Snowdrop was like, but to record the general appearance of other Snowdrops that are now to be met with in cultivation. The most important of these are Elwesi, with its varieties globosus and robustus, all of which have large flowers; Fosteri has been called the "King of Snowdrops" on account of its fine leaves and flowers. Other fine kinds are Imperati, latifolius, and plicatus, the last named recognised by its long broad and plaited leaves. Indeed there are many other varieties—including double-flowered ones—but it is doubtful if the ordinary observer would see any great difference between them and the best forms of the common Snowdrop. They all have roundish bulbs--; some larger than others, and offsets are freely produced from them. They flourish in the border or rock-garden in rich sandy soil and leaf-mould, but their natural dwelling place is in the grass, where they should be planted in hundreds and thousands and left to take care of themselves, as they are in many gardens in the kingdom.
[GALTONIA] (Hyacinthus) candicans.—A noble-looking South African plant, with large roundish bulbs and strap-shaped leaves over 2 feet long. The pure white sweet-scented blossoms (shown on [Plate 20], fig. 78) appear during the summer months, 20 or 30 in a raceme, drooping from stout stalks about 4 feet high. G. princeps is somewhat similar but not so attractive in appearance, as its white flowers are faintly tinged with green. Both kinds flourish in good garden soil and should be planted in bold clumps for effect in the flower border, and in warm sunny spots, where they may remain undisturbed for several years, until it is necessary to give them more space, or to detach the offsets for increasing the stock.
[GLADIOLUS] (Corn Flag; Sword Lily).—There are several species of Gladiolus rarely seen outside botanic gardens. The florists' varieties, like brenchleyensis, Colvillei, Childsi, gandavensis, Lemoinei, and nanceianus, are much more popular owing to the brilliancy and beauty of their blossoms. G. brenchleyensis (practically a form of gandavensis) is remarkable for its glowing scarlet flowers; G. Childsi (raised from gandavensis and Saundersi) attains a height of four or five feet, and has spikes of bloom often 2 feet or more long. The blossoms are 6 to 9 inches across, and possess many shades of purple, scarlet, crimson, salmon, white, pink, yellow, often beautifully mottled and blotched in the throat ([Plate 28], fig. 105). G. Colvillei (raised from cardinalis and tristis) is an early-flowering plant about 2 feet high, with crimson purple and also pure white flowers—according to the variety. The form known as "The Bride" is the best white ([Plate 21], fig. 81). Other early-flowering forms are shown in figs. 82 and 83. G. gandavensis (raised from cardinalis and psittacinus) forms a charming group as various in colour as the Childsi forms, the individual flowers being variously striped and blotched with distinct colours. G. Lemoinei (raised from purpureo-auratus and gandavensis) is the origin of a beautiful number of hybrids, distinguished by having a large golden-yellow blotch on the lower segments, bordered with scarlet, crimson, purple, maroon, &c. [(Plate 28], fig. 104). The colours are as numerous and as delicate as in the Childsi and gandavensis sections. The nanceianus hybrids are remarkably fine plants, and are only comparable with those of the Childsi group, although the blossoms are not quite so large. The colours vary from purple, claret, violet, carmine, orange, red, scarlet, violet, &c., and are all spotted in various ways (see [Plate 28], fig. 103).