THE TUBEROSE. 33 



the bulbs should be planted about the first of June, cov- 

 ering the tuber about one inch with light, fine soil. No 

 other care is needed than that usually given garden 

 plants. The only care required is in the selection of the 

 bulbs, which, if kept moist and cool during winter, are 

 liable to rot away in the center, rendering them worthless 

 for flowering. Perfect tubers will always be green at the 

 top, or at least sufficiently so to show signs of life ; and 

 in choosing, all others should be rejected. 



FORCING. 



Forcing the Tuberose, so as to have the flowers from 

 January to March, is an exceedingly difficult operation, 

 and is now but little attempted here. The plant being 

 of tropical origin, to have it at all times in a growing 

 state requires a high temperature not less than an aver- 

 age of 80; consequently, few ordinarily-heated green- 

 houses or private sitting-rooms are at a temperature high 

 enough to insure the continued and uninterrupted growth 

 necessary to the production of flowers in the dark winter 

 months. It is, however, comparatively easily forced so 

 as to produce flowers during April, May, and June, and 

 again, by retarding the bulbs, during November and De- 

 cember. By the first method, the bulbs are, about the 

 first of January, placed closely together in boxes three 

 inches deep, having two inches or so of damp moss in 

 the bottom. These boxes are placed in some warm spot, 

 where the temperature will average 75. If for green- 

 house culture, the best place is on the hot-water pipes. 

 In about four or five weeks the Tuberoses will have 

 rooted all through the moss, and they should then be 

 potted in four or five inch pots, or planted in a bench of 

 soil four or five inches deep, and kept in a temperature 



