94 



THE CA.NADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



bulb, the difference between the single 

 and double variety ; the buyer is de- 

 pending solely on the honesty of the 

 dealer. I think it well, however, to 

 remark here that it is not always the 

 fault of the dealer if what is sold as 

 the double comes single. The double 

 variety is only a sport of the single one, 

 originally produced by garden cultiva- 

 tion ; and it is not a very uncommon 

 occurrence to see them running back 

 again, especially if the bulbs are grown 

 in the same ground a number of years. 



Before planting the bulbs, all the 

 little bulblets, or '"sets," which are 

 always attached to the main bulb, 

 should be removed, as well as the 

 sprouts or eyes that may be showing 

 on the sides of the bulb. By this opera- 

 tion all the strength and nourishment 

 that are contained in the bulb will be 

 preserved for the development of the 

 flowers. 



The proper time for planting, in this 

 vicinity, is the latter part of May or 

 beginning of June. It is of no advan- 

 tage to plant Tuberoses before the soil 

 is thoroughly warm. The bulbs should 

 be placed at least three inches under 

 the surface of the soil, and will do best 

 in rich, warm, sandy ground, exposed 

 to the full sun. 



If wanted for early flowering, the 

 bulbs may be planted about the first of 

 March, in small pots, with clear sand 

 or sandy soil, placed in a hot-bed, and 

 replanted in larger pots, with rich soil, 

 as soon as started. They must not be 

 planted out, or left uncovered, before 

 the end of May. 



The ^' Pearl " Tuberose, a variety of 

 later introduction, and in general re- 

 spects similar to the old double, bears 

 somewhat larger flowers, on consider- 

 ably shorter and stronger stalks. Al- 

 though the flowers of this variety do 

 not keep as long as those of the old kind 

 — a consideration of some importance 



to the professional florist — its dwarf 

 habit makes it most valuable for green- 

 house cultivation. — American Garden. 



LOST RUBIES, THE MONARCH OF 

 MARKET RASPBERRIES. 



Few varieties of fruits have called 

 from the press and the people such 

 attention as Lost Rubies. Its sugges- 

 tive name, the uncertainty hanging over 

 its origin, and its remarkable qualifica- 

 tions lead speculative minds to a wide 

 and suggestive field for thought and 

 controversy. We have fruited it six 

 years, and every season it was a surprise 

 and a wonder to us ; an enigma which 

 we sought to unravel by submitting it 

 to leading pomologists, but their evi- 

 dence all went to convince that Lost 

 Rubies is a choice seedling of which they 

 have no record. Coming to us, a few 

 scattering plants with dark, purple 

 polished, almost thornless canes, with 

 evidences of aristocracy, mixed help- 

 lessly with a mass of bastards — wild 

 vagabond varieties that never set one 

 single berry, good or bad — the counter- 

 parts of those thorny barren pests grow- 

 ing in the wild underbrush by the acre, 

 we had reason to believe we had a choice 

 seedling, but having no absolutely posi- 

 tive evidence as to its origin, and wish- 

 ing to stand fairly on the records, we 

 stated from the first that its origin was 

 involved in obscurity, and offered it on 

 its merits alone. We are willing to 

 withdraw the cognomen if proof is given 

 that it should be withdrawn. Here is 

 a red raspberry possessing many of the 

 qualifications of foreign sorts, livalling 

 the grand old Franconia in size, quality 

 and beauty, yet in other respects giving 

 evidence of being a native, ranking in 

 hardiness and vigor next to the iron-clad 

 Turner. Ask any fruit man if he knows 

 of a bright, firm, large and superior 

 flavored red raspberry that will endure 

 winters when mercury marks 10 to 20 



