SUMMER-FLOWERING BULBS 



For the sake of convenience four sorts of plants not 

 closely related may be arranged under this heading: 

 they are the Tuberose, the Dahlia, the Gladiolus, and the 

 Lily. The word bulbs as here used must be taken in 

 a very broad sense, for the roots we plant of Tuberose 

 and DahUa are really tubers and those of the Gladiolus 

 are solid corms, the Lilies alone being scaly bulbs. 



The Tuberose 



More than four centuries have passed away since the 

 Tuberose was first grown as a garden flower. Its history 

 during this long period is most interesting. Originally a 

 native of Mexico, it found its way to India, though how or 

 when is not known. About the year 1500 it was taken 

 to Europe and cultivated by a comparatively few flower 

 lovers for many years before it was generally dispersed. 



These early Tuberoses were all single flowers, but about 

 1780 a double form was developed in Holland. Then 

 for nearly a hundred years these flowers increased in 

 popularity, being very fashionable in America just after 

 the Civil War. In 1865 a dwarf variety. Pearl, was intro- 

 duced. It soon became a leading sort. At present, 

 however. Tuberoses are little used here except for gar- 

 den culture and funeral flowers. Enormous numbers of 

 the bulbs are grown, however, in North CaroUna, most 

 of them being exported to European and other countries. 



In all but the most northern states Tuberoses are 



