.

This charming plant is a native of Alpine meadows, and is known by other
names, as _Paradisia_ and _Cyackia_, but is more commonly called St.
Bruno's Lily. It is emphatically one of the most useful and handsome
flowers that can be grown in English gardens, where, as yet, it is
anything but as plentiful as it ought to be. Not only is it perfectly
hardy in our climate, but it seems to thrive and flower abundantly. It
is fast becoming a favourite, and it is probable that before long it
will be very common, from the facts, firstly, of its own value and
beauty, and, secondly, because the Dutch bulb-growers have taken it in
hand. Not long ago they were said to be buying stock wherever they could
find it. The illustration (Fig. 13) shows it in a small-sized clump.
Three or four such specimens are very effective when grown near
together; the satin-like or shining pure white flowers show to greater
advantage when there is plenty of foliage. A number planted in strong
single roots, but near together, forming a clump several feet in
diameter, represent also a good style; but a single massive specimen,
with at least fifty crowns, and nearly as many spikes of bloom just
beginning to unfold, is one of the most lovely objects in my own garden.

The chaste flowers are 2in. long, six sepalled, lily-shaped, of a
transparent whiteness, and sweetly perfumed; filaments white, and long
as the sepals; anthers large, and thickly furnished with bright
orange-yellow pollen; the stems are round, stout, 18in. high, and
produce from six to twelve flowers, two or three of which are open at
one and the same time. The leaves are long, thick, with membranous
sheaths, alternate and stem-clasping, or semi-cylindrical; the upper
parts are lanceolate, dilated, subulate, and of a pale green colour. The
roots are long, fleshy, brittle, and fasciculate.

[Illustration: FIG. 13. ANTHERICUM LILIASTRUM.

(Plant, one-sixth natural size; blossom, one-fourth natural size.)]

This plant for three or four weeks is one of the most decorative; no
matter whether in partial shade or full sunshine, it not only flowers
well, but adorns its situation most richly; the flowers, in a cut state,
are amongst the most useful and effective of hardy kinds--indeed, they
vie with the tender exotics.

Flowering period, June and July.

_A. l. major_ is a new variety in all its parts like the type, with the
exception of size, the flowers being larger by nearly an inch. The