September 23, 1905 



HORTI CULTURE 



Freesias 



To have those useful bulbous South African plants in 

 flower from the holidays on they should be already well 

 under way. Freesias will succeed in any good garden 

 soil, either in pots or pans. I have found seven-inch 

 pots a very convenient size for the larger bulbs, and six- 

 inch pots for the smaller bulbs, 12 bulba respectively in 

 each pot. They ought to be potted deep enough so as 

 to have one to one and one-half inches of soil over them, 

 for it must be remembered that the old bulbs in the 

 process of growth are consumed and replaced by a 

 younger growth that starts from the tops of the older 

 ones, hence if the bulbs are not planted deep enough the 

 younger growth will appear above ground ere the end of 

 the season, to disadvantage of course. These instructions, 

 however, are less applicable to those that make it a 

 habit of purchasing new bulbs each season. If it is 

 desired to keep over the old bulbs a little care is 

 necessary. When the plants are through flowering they 

 ought not, as is often done, to be consigned to any out-of- 

 the-way place under the benches. On the contrary, they 

 ought to occupy a place on the benches or on suspended 

 shelves where they can be crowded tolerably close 

 together so as not to occupy too much valuable space. 

 The thing to be done now is to give them plenty of 

 water at this stage and for considerable time thereafter, 

 frequently changing the order from the plain water to 

 stimulation of which they will stand a lot. It is after 

 the bulbs are done flowering that the development of the 



succeeding year's bulbs takes place, hence the necessity 

 of sustaining them tlien. 



The dryiug-ofE should be gradual and when finally 

 accomjjlished should be thorough, for they are not averse 

 to what may be termed a baking. It is needless, I take 

 it, to say that freesia bulbs after potting should not be 

 covered over with sand or any other material, as with 

 hyacinths and the like bulbs, but plunged in sand or 

 ashes to the brim of the pots or pans, and in cold frames 

 where they can be shaded with shutters until they appear 

 above ground. Careful watering must be attended to 

 for considerable time after they penetrate the soil for 

 root action will not be yet ample to warrant copious 

 watering. They will be quite at home in the cold frames 

 until well into fall, when they may be taken to an airy, 

 cool greenhouse, disposed thereafter in such varying 

 temperatures calculated to bring them in flower at the 

 desired time. They will not stand high temperatures, 

 however, without injuring the robustness of stem and 

 flower. One of the few other demands they make is 

 that of supporting their grass-like foliage gently and at 

 the proper time. 



In order to have crops in succession three weeks 

 between each potting should be about right. 



/%' c^l-y-^^^^^ 



^*^^ 



British Horticulturists Visiting the International Exhibition 

 at Paris, May, J 905, 



in. lit Uow— \v. r.i.u.r, F. ]■:. iiiiiuioii.v w. 



W. Brooks. L. A. .Tones. J. Kill 

 Second Row— J. Brown, W. Laxton, W. R CUl 



H. Folland, W. Webster, R. Ni 

 Third Row-T. Jannoch, R. Pinches. W. F. G 



W. Iceton. E. Lack. I. A. Jon 

 Back Row— J. R. Tranter, R. T. Hartlgaii 



Walte 



\V. Johnson. 



n. E. 



art, E. J. Par: 



. E. W. King. 

 . A. HlutOD, \ 

 Hasklns, R. I 



IS, J. IlMiris, 

 , Flnillay, W. 

 G. Williams. 

 ;ee. A. J. G. 



S. liniiitni,. J. M. Sl."«art. 

 Pennell, P. Grlffln, L. Kershaw, 

 . M. Cooper. D. T. Williams, 

 bailee. J. W. Cross, J. Martin, 



