172 THE FLORIST. 



FRAME-GARDENING.— No. III. 



Nerines, &c. 



Nerines, like the last plants we treated on, are generally termed Cape 

 Bulbs (although Nerine sarniensis — the well-kno\\Ti Guernsey Lily — 

 is a native of Japan), and ranks among the most difficult things to 

 manage well in pots ; either because their true character has not been 

 studied by the greater part of plant growers, or that their cultivation 

 has given way to plants less susceptible of neglect than the beautiful 

 Amarylhs I am about shortly to describe. The species most easily met 

 with are, 



Nerine sarniensis Nerine curvifolia 



„ venusta ,, rosea 



,, corusca „ versicolor 



All the above commence growing in the autumn, and continue 

 making growth up to March, April, and ]\Iay, when the leaves die 

 down, and the plant remains at rest until the autumn, when, if pro- 

 perly treated, the flower-stem appears generally before the fohage. 

 The flowers are of various colours, running from a pale rose to the 

 deepest crimson in various gradations, but all extremely beautiful, 

 and worthy of the attempt being made to grow and bloom them in pots. 



The best time for commencing with the above will be when the 

 decay of the leaves shows the bulbs have completed their growth ; pots 

 suitable to the size of the bulbs should be selected, which, after being 

 drained, should be filled with compost ; a rich loamy soil will be the 

 most suitable ; manure should be dispensed with, but a portion of sand 

 — according as the loam is hea\y or the contrary — may be added. 

 Plant them at once in the pots you expect them to bloom in, as, after 

 growth has once began, the whole section dishke any unnecessary med- 

 dling with their roots, which would tend to check their growth and 

 defeat the end in view. The bulbs may be inserted sufficient to cover 

 them with soil, and the pots (for reasons stated in our last paper) should 

 be rather deeper than the ordinary make ; plunge in a cold frame, near 

 the glass, and when the plants appear above the soil they must be fully 

 exposed to the hght; it is somewhat out of our way, but if by any 

 means a sUght bottom-heat could be afforded them, it would ma- 

 terially assist in keeping them during the early stage of their growth. 

 Water only when the plants become dry. The great object through 

 the winter will be to keep them growing slowly. The foliage should 

 nearly touch the glass, so as to obtain the fullest share of light, while 

 air must be admitted to prevent the leaves fi*om drawing, which will 

 hardly be the case when treated as above. As the leaves become 

 fully gro^^^l, which will most generally be by the month of March, 

 the frames may be shut down early in the afternoon, still keeping the 

 plants near the glass ; this will give an increase of temperature, which, 

 accompanied by hght, will materially assist the ripening of the leaves, 

 on which success mainly depends. As spring advances, the leaves 

 wall begin turning yellow, at which stage water must be gi-adually 

 withdrawn, allowing them to complete the ripening process in a dry 



