BERMUDA LILY. 193 
frame, and cover them with the same to the depth of one 
or two inches, and over this a light covering of leaves or 
fine hay, to prevent evaporation, and to keep the bulbs 
moist and cool. ‘They should be kept perfectly dark, 
and away from the air, which would have a tendency to 
stimulate leaf-growth, which is undesirable until the 
bulbs have had ample time to make root-growth, after their 
natural and desired rest, before the stem starts, which is 
one of the most important considerations in bulb culture. 
For early flowers the pots can be brought into the 
greenhouse by the middle of September, or as soon as 
active growth has commenced, but never before the plant 
has made a growth of, at least, an inch above the pot. 
At this stage growth must be encouraged and steadily 
maintained, a check is to them a serious matter, which 
will be plainly shown by blight, some insect enemy and 
the absence of flowers. For a healthful, vigorous growth, 
a free circulation of air, even temperature and great 
care in watering, are rules that must be strictly observed. 
They do not require a high temperature, neither will 
they submit to a lowone. For general cultivation in 
the greenhouse, a temperature of from 70° to 80° by day, 
and from 60° to 70° by night, will produce the best 
results. But to be sure of a crop of flowers for Christ- 
mas, a temperature of, at least, 5° higher, should be 
maintained after the first four weeks. 
For decorative purposes, where large specimen 
plants are desired, the largest bulbs should be planted, 
and if they have two or more divisions, all the better, as 
a number of stems, with three or four flowers each, is a 
more showy object than a single one can possibly be. 
For this purpose it does not do to put several bulbs in 
the same pot, because of the uncertainty of their coming 
into flower at the same time. Specimen plants will not 
bear crowding ; they must have plenty of room for a free 
circulation of air around them, and a lower temperature 
13 
