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LACHENALIA 



LACHENALIA 



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1220. The maze on St. Catherine's Hill. Winchester, England 

 From a plan made in 1710. (See Labyrinths, p. 865.) 



LACHENALIA (Werner de Laehenal, 17.3G-1800, pro- 

 fessor of hotMiiy at Ba.sel). LiliAne. C.a.pe Cowslips. 

 l^;icl]eiKUias I I'ii;. 1221) are Cape bulbs that are easily 

 dowered in a cuul greenhouse in early spring or even in 

 winter. They have a remarl^able range of color, and 

 with good management may be kept in an attractive con- 

 dition for two months or more. There are species with 

 bell-shaped flowers, and some in which the flowers are 

 all more or less erect, but the favorite types are the long, 

 cylindrical, pendulous flowers with the brilliant red and 

 yellow colors. Of the 42 species, about 9 are cult., the 

 most popular being L. tricolor, particularly its var. Nel- 

 so)ii and some of the recent forms with personal names. 

 L. penilula is perhaps second in popularity, tbe rest be- 

 ing known chiefly to bulb fanciers. Lachenalias are very 

 distinct in coloring and general appearance. Tbey usu- 

 ally have 2 leaves (sometimes 5 in cult.), rarely 1, and 

 the bulbs are globose, tunicated, and about %-l in. thick. 

 An exceptionally strong bulb, under the most favorable 

 conditions sends up 3 or 4 erect flower-stalks 9 in. high, 

 with as many as 40 flowers, each 1-lK in- long. Under 

 careless treatment the leaves and flower-stalks are 

 weaker, and bearperhaps 6-12 flowers. Lachenalias are 

 fine subjects for hanging baskets. 



This genus is also interesting when studying the evolu- 

 tion of the perianth. In our common lilies the 6 seg- 

 ments are all the same size and all colored like petals. 

 Lachenalia has only 1 species in which the segments 

 are practically equal. The others vary wonderfully, but 

 usually the inner segments are longer, and sometimes 

 the outer segments are small and more or less greenish, 

 thereby suggesting the division of perianth into calyx 

 and corolla. The genus is monographed in English by 

 Baker in the sixth volume of Flora Capensis. which 

 contains all the Cape bulbs and should be in the handj 

 of everv bulb specialist. 



It should encourage the amateur to know that the re- 

 cent improvement of Lachenalias is largely due to two 



English amateurs. Ij. NeU 

 soni, the first and one of the 

 best hybrids, was rasied, not 

 in a greenhouse, but in a 

 home window, by the Rev. 

 John Nelson. Four fine hy- 

 brids, raised by T. H. Warsh, 

 are shown in Gn. 46:981, 

 where their parentage is 

 given. i.iW?son( hasplayed 

 an important part in the 

 production of these hybrids, 

 Ruby, Cawston Gem, Little 

 Beauty and Topaz, all of 

 which are in the trade. 



W. M. 

 It is well to make one job 

 of it, planting Freesias and 

 Lachenalias together. Six 

 are planted in a 6-inch pot, 

 in good rich loam. They 

 probably do as well without 

 leaf soil, if the drainage be 

 good. They are stored in a 

 well protected coldframe un- 

 til late in November, but 

 might be kept longer, as a 

 pinch of frost will not hurt 

 them. Afterthey are brought 

 into the greenhouse, and 

 make good growth, plenty 

 of water may be given, and, 

 occasionally, liquid manure. 

 A night temperature of 50° 

 F. will be found about right, 

 but they scarcely bear for- 

 cing until the flowering 

 scapes show. If forced be- 

 fore the buds show, the flow- 

 ers are often malformed. 

 With good management they 

 remain in bloom from six to 

 eight weeks. 



After blooming, the plants 

 should be set on a shelf in 

 a light position and watered as carefully as beftre the 

 blooming season, less water being given as signs of ma- 

 turity appear; viz., discolored leaves and withered flow- 

 er-stems. When thoroughly ripened, they are stored in 

 the pots they have grown in and kept quite dry until the 

 month of August. They must be repotted then. If by 

 chance drip should strike the soil, the plants may be 

 found starting into growth. The bulbs multiply rapidly, 

 more than doubling in a season. Fully one-third of the 

 extra bulbs will be serviceable, and still more would 

 make bloom of less decorative value. There are many 

 more — bulblets — which can be sown on the borders of 

 carnation or violet benches, a large number making 

 good-sized bulbs in one season. Seeds of Lachenalias 

 germinate readily in a few weeks, and with good treat- 

 ment raiLj seedlings will bloom before going to rest. 

 In the opinion of the writer, L. Nelsoni is still the most 



otory kind to grow. 



T. D. Hatfield. 



INDEX. 



aurea. 6. orchioides, 2. retiexa, 1. 



Aureliana, 4. pallida. 8. rubida, 5. 



Canimi.e. pendida, 4. tricolor. 6. 



ghaucina. 3. pustulata, 7. unitolia, 9. 



luteola. 6. quadrieolor, 6. violaeea, 7. 

 Nelsoni, 6. 



A. Base of perianth oblique 1. reflexa 



AA. Base of perianth equally rounded. 

 B. Form of perianth more or less cylin- 

 drical. 

 0. Fls. all erect or at most spread- 

 inq. 



D. Lenqlh of perianth 4 liyies 2. orchioidea 



r.D. Lenqth of perianth 6-9 lines . . a. glaucina 

 cj. /7,5. drooping or pendulous, at 

 least the lower ones. 

 D. Inner segments scarcfly longer 



than the outer 4. pendula 



