86 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



that is, take every sucker from the plants you wish to bloom. 

 Given, an old ])lant, as above described, lift it carefully, sort all the 

 suckers into sizes ; round the base of the strongest will be found a 

 series of rooted knobs (suckers waiting for development) ; remove 

 every one of the.^e with a knife, or break them oil', if you choose; 

 reserve these as the smallest size — you will, perhaps, sort them into 

 about four sizes ; plant each size by itself in a bed of light rich 

 sandy earth, or any good soil. It will, perhaps, take three or four 

 years to biing the strongest to a flowering state. Strength will de- 

 termine this point, and pbnts that intend flowering have the leaves 

 in the centre densely imbricated, protecting the embryo iDflorescence. 

 If a number of such plants could be moved to a prepared bed on a 

 lawn, or other favoured place, free from wind, they would make 

 such a dit^play as is rarely seen in garden scenery. The plant is of 

 the easiest propagation, and a succession easily maintained. 



hijsts o^ the cultivation oe gladioli. 



BY ETJGENE YERDIEE, ETJE DUNOIS, GAEE d'iTEAT, PAEIS. 



HESE plants, the produce of G. gandavensis, itself pro- 

 ceeding from a hardy species, the G. psittacinus, do not 

 require much particular care ; common garden earth 

 will suit them, if previously dug and lightened. They 

 do not thrive in loamy or clayey soil, generally prosper- 

 ing best in light sandy soil. Successive planting in the same stuff*, 

 and in the same place, is extremely pernicious to their prosperity^ 

 and should be avoided ; it is therefore urgent that the place of 

 growth be changed every year, so as io return to the same bed, but 

 after three years, during which interval it should be manured with 

 good horse or cow dung, according to the greater or less dampness 

 of the soil, using the former for the most damp. 



Planting in the open ground should take place in each fortnight 

 successively from the end of March to June. Prolonged bloom will 

 thus be obtained, commencing in July and continuing until Novem- 

 ber. The bulbs collected from the last planting, not having arrived 

 at perfect maturity, should not be relied upon for the ensuing season. 

 The size of the bulbs should also be taken into consideration for 

 the succession of blossoming, as it is notorious that the largest are 

 not those which produce the finest flowers ; but should they be 

 planted together, the largest will flower first, the medium next, 

 then giving place to the smallest. Planting in January in pots of 

 five inches, placed under cold frames, or under a south wall, covered 

 with dry leaves to protect them from frost, and afterwards planted 

 out, when ti^ere is no longer any fear of frost, will enable them to 

 flower from the month of June ; the bulbs should be placed at a 

 depth in earth according to their size, the smallest covered by about 

 one and a half or two inches, while the largest should have about 

 three inches thick of soil. 



Watering should be abundant, if the weather is dry and warm. 



