SOME PRACTICAL POINTS IN BULB CULTURE. 



IF we would meet the early snowdrops 

 and crocuses, the gaudy tulip, and 



J the princely hyacinth, with their com- 

 panions, in the garden in the spring, we 

 must become fall planters. Because 

 autumn does not to many seem the right 

 time for garden-making, no doubt many 

 lawns and flower gardens are without 

 these most charming flowers that other- 

 wise would have them. There is no 

 good excuse for this, it is just as easy to 

 make up and plant flower beds in Sep- 

 tember or October as it is in the spring. 

 In fact it should be easier to plant in 

 the autumn, because usually there is less 

 crowding of work than in the spring. 



The great value of the hardy bulbs in 

 extending the season of bloom in the 

 garden, makes it inexcusable not to have 

 them in abundance. Without this class, 

 the lawn and flower beds are bare of 

 bloom for several months in the spring, 

 before they are occupied with the 

 regular summer flowers. This state of 

 things is oftener found in the handsome 

 lawns of our towns and cities than in the 



country. It means one crop of bloom 

 in the season, when with autumn plant- 

 ing the same beds could have succeed- 

 ing crops, from early until late. Nor 

 must we overlook the fact that of all our 

 garden flowers, the sweet, beautiful 

 Dutch bulbs, coming in the lovely spring- 

 time when nature draws us to the garden, 

 excel all others in delightful qualities. 

 And it is not in the garden alone that 

 the advantages of this class of bulbs 

 most strongly appear. Inasmuch as the 

 season of bloom follows very quickly 

 after warmth suflicient to start the growth 

 sets in, they are matchless among flowers 

 suited to home culture in winter ; who- 

 ever can succeed in growing any kind of 

 house plants may without hesitation un- 

 dertake the culture of hardy bulbs in the 

 window, for the culture of no others is 

 easier. With the hardy bulbs at our 

 command, there is no excuse for not 

 having an abundance of the most de- 

 lightful flowers in our homes, during the 

 winter and spring. — Vicks Magazine. 



NELUMBIUM SPECIOSUM. 



!S[R, — A iieiglibour of mine made a water 

 pond, and planted it with iiardy water lilies. 

 Among them was Nelumbium speciosuni, or 

 Egyptian lotus; and it winter killed, while 

 the rest all live<l and are doing well. What 

 is the proper way to winter it in this section, 

 West Nissouri ? 



John McAinsh. 



This plant is not hardy without pro- 

 tection, but its beauty is sufficient to 

 tempt one to experiment with it. It 

 should be grown in tubs placed in shal- 

 low water, and these tubs can be stored 

 in a cellar during the winter In warmer 

 countries they can be grown in warm 

 tanks or ponds in the open, but our 

 climate is too severe for that. Even in 

 the vicinity of Paris, France, a glass 

 cover is placed over the tank, and 

 throughout winter a covering of straw, 

 or some other protecting material, as 



well. In this journal for 1893, page 181, 

 Mr. L. B- Rice's success with our Ame- 

 rican water lilies, grown in tubs, is re- 

 ferred to. He cuts a kerosene board in 

 two, places six inches of clay in the bot- 

 tom and two or three inches of lighter 

 muck on the top of this. He then sinks 

 the tub in the lawn, plants the rhizomes 

 firmly in the bottom, and fills the tub 

 with water. 



Regarding N. speciosum, we may fur- 

 ther add that it is the Egyptian Bean of 

 Pythagoras, and is a native of Asia, 

 whence it was introduced to England 

 about one hundred years ago The 

 flowers are white, rosytipped, fragrant, 

 and about one foot in diameter. N. 

 luleum (yellow) is the American species, 

 indigenous to the West Indies and the 

 Southern United States. 



424 



