BULBS FOR THE GREENHOUSE 43 



top dressing when the stem roots appear. Put the pots 

 in a cold but rain proof frame, and give no water until 

 the stems have grown several inches high. They may 

 be brought into the greenhouse at any time, but only 

 those indicated should be in any way forced. After the 

 pots are full of roots they take a good supply of water, 

 and manure water is a help while the flower buds are 

 swelling. All lilies are subject to green fly when grown 

 under glass, and are so much injured by even a slight 

 attack that this should be strenuously avoided at all 

 times. During the summer L. auratum and L. speciosum 

 may be stood outside in a shady sheltered spot until the 

 buds show, after which they are best under glass. 



Narcissi. In these notes on Narcissi it must be 

 understood that in addition to the Polyanthus Narcissi 

 I also include the Daffodils, many of which make excel- 

 lent pot plants. These Narcissi illustrate almost more 

 than any other bulbous plant the necessity of getting 

 the bulbs potted early, if early flowers are desired. It 

 suits the bulb merchants to send out all their bulbs to- 

 gether late in autumn, and where this practice is followed 

 Narcissus bulbs are cheated out of two or three months 

 of their best rooting season and suffer accordingly. From 

 home grown bulbs lifted in July and potted at once I have 

 had both Daffodils and Polyanthus Narcissi well in flower 

 early in February, with nothing like the forcing that 

 imported bulbs potted up in late autumn have taken, and 

 the flowers, too, on the farmer have been much more 

 robust. Their general treatment should follow the lines 

 laid down for that of the Hyacinth, except that the bulbs 

 should be potted more deeply and as many as possible put 

 in each pot, so that a good display may be had in a small 

 compass. After being removed from the covering of 

 ashes, which should not be until the growths are push- 

 ing through, an ample supply of water will be necessary 

 at all times, for drought is a thing they will not bear. 



