LIBtAHV 



Hb.W YORK 



FOREWORDS 



There was a time when bulbous plants of all kinds received the 



attention of a considerable section of horticulturists. Dean Herbert 



was the hiyh priest of the cult, among the most notable of his disciples 



being Wilson Saunders, Joad, Michael Foster, Peter Barr, Sir Charles 



Strickland, and Max Leichtlin. They collected and cultivated bulbous 



plants in the same spirit as predominates among the leading fanciers 



of orchids to-day. But loith this difference, there wasn't any gambling 



in bulbs. There are, of course, certain kinds of bulbs which rank 



i among the most popular garden plants; but titer e are scarcely any 



(J collectors of species outside botanical gardens. Bulbous plants of the 



Lily, Iris, and Amaryllis families are both numerous and varied. 



Many of them are reputedly difficidt to cultivate, yet not more so than 



\r^ orchids used to be. The worst in this respect are the species which 



^A grow naturally in intense sunshine and have a definite period of dry 



\ rest. Such are many of the Crinums, Buphanes, and the Xiphiod 



• Irises. Years ago, bulb fanciers would meet and discuss the merits 



and requirements of their favourites in the most enlightening and 



5^ stimulating manner. But how many of the present-day cultivators 



^ show any inclination to do this ? The plants are out of favour, pre- 



y^umably because they are not easy to manage, an objection thai is 



"^ generally dissipated by a better knowledge of the essential requirements. 



' ? Gardening that is icorthy of the name has higher aims than the 



^ cultivation of the vulgar crowd of plants which anybody can manage. 



l£^ The development of orchids as garden plants may be taken as a proof 



Q^ of what can be accomplished by persevering experiment. 



Such genera as Lilium, Gladiolus, Tulipa, Narcissus, Hyacinthus, 

 ^sj Crocus, Iris, Galanthus, Hippeastrum,, and Nerine have been to a large 

 tr^ extent conquered by the arts of cultivation and breeding; and there 



