114 FLOWERS AND THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



stem. When the bulbs grow large, they will produce two 

 stems, each of which will perfect a bulb, and at the time 

 when the roots may be taken up these may be planted 

 apart. 



The Crown Imperial will not do for pot culture, 

 but the smaller fritillaries flower well in pots. Plant 

 them in October, in light rich earth, four in a pot. 

 Plunge the pots in ashes on a hot-bed, and protect them 

 from frost, until they show bloom, and then place them 

 in the greenhouse, or plant them in groups in the 

 borders. Offsets are produced round the old roots,- and 

 should be taken off and planted in light rich earth 

 every third year : there they may remain until they 

 flower. 



The pretty gold besprinkled Guernsey Lily, Nerine 

 sarniensis, suffers from an undeserved bad character. 

 It often flowers without earth, and therefore, for the 

 curiosity, it has been allowed to do so ; it often, from 

 improper treatment, flowers but once, and then the bulb 

 is done for ; but with due care these bulbs will do well 

 for years. They require a strong rich loam with sand, 

 and when the root has produced flower late in summer 

 it must be encouraged, by good soil and water, to mature 

 leaves in abundance, otherwise the root will not be in 

 condition to produce flower again the following year. 

 Plant the roots in a rich, light, well drained bed, and 

 there let them keep their place year after year. Manure 

 the bed in spring, and in winter protect the roots from 

 frost with litter or dead leaves. Without a vigorous 

 growth of the leaves the bulbs will not prosper. They 

 must be deeply planted, and the situation of the bed 

 should be warm, and sheltered, and dry in winter. On 

 a sunny bank, against the front of a greenhouse, I have 

 known them do well, and flower for years. When they 

 are grown in pots they should be planted deep, in light 

 rich peat and sand, the bulb being well covered. They 

 are chiefly increased by offsets, but they may be grown 

 from seed sown in heat. 



The Anomatheca cruenta is a sweet little bulb, pro- 

 ducing a great abundance of bright red flowers, with a 



