CALOCHOKTUt 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



CALOCHORTUS. 



deposit of sandy silt. This is excellent 

 Calochortus soil, but not so good as the 

 next. I find the best results follow from 

 the use of about one half half-rotten spent 

 tan bark with one half sandy or clay loam. 

 The tan bark rots slowly and gives a loose, 

 well-drained soil, which will not pack. 

 This suits all Calochorti and gives a 

 splendid bloom and firm, well-ripened 

 bulbs. For English growers many sub- 

 stitutes will occur. I know of but one 

 disease to which Calochorti are subject. 

 This is a mildew, the " Lily leaf ash." It 

 attacks them in the spring, just before 

 the flowering stalk appears. It attacks 

 the leaf tissue, and in a week entirely 

 destroys the leaf and injures the bulb. 

 In their susceptibility to the attacks of 

 the fungus Calochorti vary greatly. All 

 of the species having a single glossy 

 radical leaf are free from its attacks. 

 This includes all of the Star Tulips and 

 the C. niiidus group. While all of the 

 desert species, such as C. splendens., C. 

 Kennedy!., C. Palnieri., C. Gunmsom\ C. 

 JVutfalli, C. macrocarpus, and C. flexuosiis 

 are subject to it to such an extent as to 

 make their successful culture very near 

 hopeless unless some cure can be found 

 for this mildew. 



While the amateur may prefer to try 

 all sorts and get his experience for him- 

 self, I believe that many growers will 

 appreciate a list of the best growers 

 among the Calochorti. For such I 

 would recommend the following : — 



In the globular-flowered Star Tulips, 

 C. albus, white, C. piilchellus, yellow, and 

 C. amcemis, rose-coloured, are all thrifty 

 and beautiful. Among the open-cupped 

 Star Tulips, C. Befit/ianii, in yellow, and 

 C. Maiveaitiis var. major are the best. 

 There is, however, a race of giant Star 

 Tulips, sturdy plants 9 in. to 16 in. high, 

 with large flowers of the same delicate 

 style as Mimieamts, which, although rare 

 now, will soon quite displace the smaller 

 ones. These are C. apiculatus, straw- 

 coloured, C. Greeni., blue, and C. Howelli., 

 yellow. C. lilacinus., a lavender-coloured 

 sort, is a splendid grower and very de- 

 sirable. In the next section, C. niiidus 

 is a fine hardy and very beautiful plant, 

 combining the attributes of Star Tulip 

 and Mariposa. In the C. VVcedi set, C. 

 Plummerce is best. Of the true Butter- 

 fly Tulips, C. Vesta is by far the best 

 grower. It is a sort which has great 

 vitality, can be propagated very rapidly 

 by offsets (three or four a year), and 

 grows well in any well-drained soil. C. 

 venustus var. purptiresceiis is almost as 

 good a grower, and the two are by all 



odds the easiest Calochorti to grow. C. 

 venusius var. ciiriiius in lemon is very 

 thrifty. That grand plant C. clavattis is 

 a fine grower. 



I have found that by very late planting 

 I can bring sorts to flower which planted 

 early invariably succumb. I had the 

 same experience a year ago. It would 

 seem that when planted early they reach 

 a standstill period in late winter and can- 

 not resist disease, while planted late they 

 are in full growth at the critical period. 



Clearly if so much care is needed in their 

 own lovely climate, in ours it will require 

 all our care to secure them perfect drain- 

 age, porous soil and warmth, though no 

 doubt some of naturally warm soils may 

 suit them. 



Calochortus fl.-\vus. 



C. albus. — This is a charming species 

 and more easily grown than most. This 

 may be planted in the open border 

 without much fear of failure, unless the 

 soil be very stiff. It increases rapidly by 

 offsets and seeds, which ripen and produce 

 good flowering bulbs in three years. 

 These require rich soil during the 

 first two years, after which they may be 

 planted in the general collection. 



C. apiculatus is a tall stout-stenmied 

 species 9 to 18 in. high, with large straw- 

 coloured flowers. The variety minor has 

 creamy flowers with a fringe of yellow 

 hairs in the centre. 



