THE FREES/A FOR WINTER BLOOMING. 



483 



fibre. Fill the bowls one-third up with 

 fibre, then insert the bulbs and fill up nearly 

 to the top with fibre. Give sufficient water 

 to make the whole damp, and after that 

 simply keep the fibre moderately damp. 

 Should the material and bulbs lift owing^ to 

 root action, simply press them down gently 

 and evenly into the bowl. Daff"odils may 

 be grown successfully this way in a cool 

 greenhouse or sitting-room window (by 

 preference a room without a fire). They 



should be grown cool, and not brought into 

 warmth until the flower buds are coloring. 



To obtain ver>' fine blooms daff"odils 

 should be cut in a young state, just when 

 the bud has well broken and is expanding- 

 from the spathe. Place in water and allow 

 the flowers to open in a cool greenhouse or 

 sitting-room. The blooms opened in this 

 way are larger than those which develop 

 out of doors. 



— Burr's Catalogue. 



THE FREESIA FOR WINTER BLOOMING. 



Fig. 1951. Giant Bermuda Freesia. 



Pike, in American Agriculturist, give the 

 following pointers for success with the 

 freesia : 



A rich, sandy potting soil is preferable, 

 and a five or six-inch pot will accommodate 

 half a dozen bulbs — one in the centre and 

 the remainder in a circle about an inch from 

 the side oi the pot. Cover about an inch 

 deep, water thoroughly and set out of doors 



in some cool, shaded spot protected from 

 rain. Cover over with straw or mulch of 

 some kind to keep dark and cool while roots 

 are forming, and examine frequently, giving 

 water when the soil appears dr\- on top. 

 As soon as the shoots begin to prick through 

 the soil remove the mulch and gradually ac- 

 custom to sunlight. Keep them out of doors 

 and in full sunlight until there is actual dan- 

 gep of freezing, taking them into the house 

 nights when necessary. They are not a 

 tender plant and prefer a cool temperature. 

 When no longer safe to keep them out- 

 doors during the day, place them in a sunny 

 window of a fireless room and keep them 

 there as long as the temperature does not 

 go down to. actual freezing. If necessar}', 

 they may be removed over night to a room 

 having a fire, but during^ the day give a 

 sunny, but cool window if possible. Water 

 freely and as often as needed, and when the 

 buds begin to show among the sword-like 

 leaves, a light application of some liquid 

 fertilizer may be given once a week. When 

 the fruit flowers begin to open give an hour 

 or two only of morning sun, then remove to 

 a shaded location. which will make the flow- 

 ers more lasting. 



