POLIANTHES 



THE BIXB BOOK 



POLI.OCTHES 



12 to 18 ins. long, deeply channelled 

 in the lower half and more or less 

 spotted with reddish-brown on the 

 back. The tiowering-stems grow 2 

 to 3 ft. high, and bear numerous 

 funnel - shaped waxy - white tlowers 

 emitting (according to many) a 

 delicious fragrance. (Bed. Lil. 1. 147 ; 

 Bot. Mag. t. 1817 ; Bot. Reg. t. 63.) 



Fiu. 21-JZ.— roUanth.es tuherosa, bulb. 



The variety gracilis has narrower 

 leaves, and longer tubed flowers with 

 narrower segments. The double - 

 flowered variety (riore pJtno) is the 

 one most generally favoured l)y 

 gardeners, and hundreds of thousands 

 of plants are cultivated every year to 

 supply the white blossoms to rhe 

 florists. The double-flowered varieties 

 are divided into African, American, 

 Italian, and Pearl Tuberoses, the last 

 named being the favourite with 

 market - growers, the tlowers being 

 very double and much larger than 

 the others. 



Tuberoses flourish in rich sandy 

 loam, to which a little leaf-mould or 

 old cow-manure may be added. The 

 bulbs are generally grown in pots, 

 singly or severally, according to 

 circumstances, and may be placed in 

 a cold or warm greenhouse, or even in 

 a stove temperature when root action 

 is established, to secure the quicker 



Fig. 2t>l. — FoUanthcs tubcrosa fiore plena. (A.) 



development of the blossoms. A fair 

 amount of moisture at the root and 

 in the atmosphere is necessary during 

 growth, which starts in spring, and 

 continues during the summer months. 

 By keeping the bulbs cool, however, 

 in spring and summer, growth will be 

 retarded, and the flowers will not 

 appear till a later period of the year 

 as may be desired. 



Tuberoses may also be grown in 

 the open air during the summer 

 months. The bulbs should be jilanted 

 out about the end of May or early in 

 June, leaving the upper half un- 

 covered with soil. In the autumn 



399 



