334 Journal of Agriculture. [8 June, 1907. 



Soil — Situation — Culture. 



The most suitable soil is a warm sandv loam, but the plants will grow 

 well in most soils if thoroughly drained. If the soil is poor the plants 

 will benefit by the addition of some well-rotted manure, worked into the 

 soil some distance below the surface ; the addition of lime, rubbish, sand, 

 or charcoal, is of benefit if the soil is of a heavy retentive nature. When 

 preparing a site for the bulbs care should be taken to select a place where 

 they may grow undisturbed for several years and where there will be 

 no need to apply water during summer to other plants — during summer 

 the plants are at rest and water in quantity is injurious toi them. They 

 flower freely when the bulbs are growing thickly together. The situa- 

 tion is of more importance than the soil, as although the plants may 

 exist in damp and shady positions for years thev will not produce flowers 

 freely. The most exposed and warmest position m the garden is the 

 most suitable. 



Planting should be done during summer when the bulbs are at rest; 

 at that time they may be procured from seedsmen and nurserymen. The 

 soil should be trodden and thoroughly settled before planting the bulbs, to 

 obviate settling afterwards, for one of the conditions of successful culture 

 is that they must not be buried deeply. The neck of the bulb should 

 be placed at about the settled level of the surface ; if planted in clumps 

 place the bulbs about 3 inches apart to allow for increase, which is 

 effected by oft'-sets from the original bulbs. Care must be taken when 

 cultivating that no implement is allowed to damage the bulbs which 

 must be freed from weeds &c. by hand picking. 



The only means of increasing nerines are by off-sets or seeds. 

 Attempts have been made to cross nerines with other genera without 

 isuccess, but the different kinds or varieties may be cross-fertilised and 

 .new varieties raised — a most interesting proceeding. 



The kinds procurable in Melbourne are : — Sarniensis (the Guernsey 

 lily), Fothergilli, corusca, excellens, elegans, alba, large flowering kinds; 

 amabilis, crispa, flexuosa, humilis, filifolia and erubescens, species bearing 

 smaller flowers. Lycoris aurea and radiata are also available. 



Flo"wer Garden. 



Manuring and digging beds and borders, pruning and planting de- 

 'ciduous trees and shrubs may be performed at this season. The greater 

 part of the small prunings of shrubs and herbaceous plants, and all 

 leaves, should be dug into the beds if room for the purpose is available. 

 If this cannot be done without damaging roots of plants growing in the 

 beds the prunings &c. may be heaped and mixed with soil and manure 

 to decav and to be worked into- the soil later. 



Where bulbs such as narcissi, tulips &c. are grown in special beds, 

 the surface should be lightlv worked and cleaned to obviate the necessity 

 of such cleaning later in the season, when the foliage will be much more 

 extensive, and the work will be difficult to perform without damaging the 

 leaves of the plants. It should be remembered that the leaves of a plant 

 perform functions similar to those performed by tlie skin, lungs, and 

 stomach of an animal, and that their destruction or even injury must have 

 a detrimental effect on the plant. When the leaves are ripening and 

 falling their work is done, but young growing foliage should generally 

 bt carefully nurtured. 



