48 GARDEXING FOR PLEASURE. 



vears ago from Bermuda, where it was found under culti- 

 vation. It differs from the old variety in being much 

 larger in size ; but its most valuable quality is, that it 

 can be grown to flower in the greatest profusion from the 

 Christmas Holidays throughout all the winter months 

 until spring, according to the time it is planted and the 

 temperature at which it is kept. Tens of thousands of 

 it are now grown for church decoration at Easter ; hence 

 the name. The manner of cultivation is very simple, and 

 need never fail in the hands of even the most inexperi- 

 enced amateurs. The bulbs should be planted in what 

 are called five-inch pots, that is, five inches deep and five 

 inches wide at rim. The soil should be rich, at least 

 one-third old, well-rotted manure. The pot should be 

 rather loosely filled with this soil, and the bulb pressed 

 down deep enough to cover the bulb merely. This may 

 be done any time from the middle of August until De- 

 cember. Those potted in August will be in fiow^er by the 

 Christmas Holidays ; those in October, November, and 

 December correspondingly later. 



After potting, one of the most important things to 

 observe is the proper placing of the pots containing the 

 bulbs. Like all other bulbs, to get the best results in 

 flowering, the pots must be filled with roots before the 

 tops start to grow ; and, to do this, they must be placed 

 in some cool place and excluded from the light. Those 

 potted in August, September, or October can be placed 

 outside, in the open air, and covered completely up with 

 leaves or litter to the depth of four or five inches, until, 

 on examination, the roots are found to be formed around 

 the ball of earth. They should then be placed in the 

 greenhouse or sitting-room, and if kept in a temperature 

 of from sixty to seventy degrees, will come into bloom 

 throughout January and February. Those potted later 

 — say in November or December — should be placed in a 

 cool cellar or cold frame, and covered up in the same 



