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GARDENING. 



THE ITALIAN GARDEN ON THE ESTATE OP MR. H. H. HDNNEWELL. WELLESLEY. MASS. 



put plants it grown quite close together 

 in a 4- or 5-ineh pot. and they last for 

 some time. The same treatment as for hy- 

 acinths and tulips will also do for narcissi. 



Freesias we cannot have too many of 

 as they are always in demand. For early 

 we pot up a number about the first of 

 August; our second batch was put in to- 

 day (Sept. 1) and another planting will 

 be put in about the end of the month. 

 To have a succession these do not have to 

 be buried like the Dutch bulbs, as they 

 start to grow soon after being potted. 

 They should be potted quite close together; 

 ten to twelve bulbs in a 5- nch pot is 

 about right. After potting the? - should 

 not get too much water till they begin to 

 grow. They should not be allowed to 

 stand under the shade of trees, as this will 

 draw the foliage and make them spindly. 

 Plunged out in an open frame is the best 

 place for them, as they can be protected 

 with the sash when there is danger of 

 frost. We like to leave them in the frames 

 well into October as we then get a much 

 more stocky growth than if brought into 

 the house in September. When th y are 

 a few inches high put four neat stakes 

 around the edge of the pot and run a fine 

 string around to keep them erect; and as 

 they grow put more string around. 



Allium neapolitanum is a fine winter 

 blooming bulb and sure to flower with 

 every one. The flower stems are about 

 twenty inches high bearing at the top a 

 cluster of white flowers. They last a long 

 time in flower either on the plant or cut. 

 Plant five bulbs in a 5 inch pot and treat 

 the same as hyacinths. 



Scilla Clusi is a grand bulb to force in 

 winter. It produces an enormous cluster 



of star-shaped flowers which are often 

 over two feet in circumference. Treat the 

 same as freesias. S. siberica has small 

 sprays of blue flowers; if they are planted 

 quite close together they make a nice 

 show, but are of little use for cutting. 



Ornithogalum arabicum resembles the 

 hyacinth in bulb and requires the same 

 treatment. The flower spikes grow 

 about twenty inches high, bearing an im- 

 mense cluster ol'large pure white flowers 

 with a black center. When well grown it 

 is a beautiful plant. It is also very fra- 

 grant and lasts a long time in flower. 



The oxalises are a class of bulbous plants 

 that alwavs give satisfaction, their free 

 flowering nature and ease of culture mak- 

 ing them well adapted for window deco- 

 ration. They are seen at their best when 

 grown in hanging baskets. They start to 

 grow at once after being potted and are 

 best set in a cold-frame and treated the 

 same as freesias. 



Triteleia uniflora makes a nice pot of 

 flowers, but we like it best when grown 

 in an 8 or 10-inch pan. The bulbs are 

 very small and should be planted quite 

 close together to make much of a show. 

 Each one sends up several flower scapes 

 bearing star-shaped flowers one inch in 

 diameter. Treat the same as freesias. 



Ixias are beautiful for winter flowers 

 but the3 r aie sometimes hard to bloom. 

 One thing they like is plenty of drainage 

 and a cool place. We have tried to force 

 them in a warm house but failure was al- 

 ways the result. They are well w rth all 

 the trouble that is given them as their 

 1 ng sprays of various colored flowers are 

 very useful for cutting. The sparaxis dif- 

 fers but little from the ixia, the only dif- 



ference being that the flowers are larger 

 and not so many of them on a spike, and 

 they are more irregular in habit of 

 growth. 



The tritonias are nice to gr w in con- 

 nection with the ixias and sparaxis. The 

 flowers are somewhat different in form as 

 they usually droop instead of being car- 

 ried erect. All three are Cape bulbs and 

 require the same treatment as freesias. 

 A few pots of snowdrops are also nice for 

 early winter. Ehresii is the largest and 

 best to force. Crocuses can be had earlv 

 in winter, but as pot plants they do not 

 last long. Both the snowdrops and cro- 

 cuses need the same treatment as hya- 

 cinths. 



Iris anglica, I. persica and I. hispatiica. 

 can be flowered quite readily in late win 

 ter. They won't stand much forcing and 

 have to be brought along slowly in a cool 

 house, but when in flower they present a 

 charming array of fine colors and a few 

 pots of them always attract attention. 



There are many other bulbs that can be 

 forced readily, such as the white and blue 

 grape hyacinths, Bride gladiolus, calo- 

 chortus, lachenalias, etc. All are inter- 

 esting where room can be given them, 

 and though only one pot is grown of 

 each much pleasure will be had watching 

 them grow and attending to their wants. 

 All bulbs of small size, such as the ixias, 

 sparaxis, snowdrops, crocuses, triteleias 

 and others, should be grown quite close 

 together if a good show is wanted. One 

 bulb of a snowdrop or ixia in a pot has 

 no show at all, but when ten to twelve 

 bulbs are potted in a 5-inch p t the effect 

 will be all that could be desired. 



Mahwah, N. J. David Fraser. 



