60 THE UNHEATED GREENHOUSE 



are quite enough for a good-sized basket, while three will be 

 ample for a six-inch pot. Scarcely any plant plays more 

 pranks with its roots than this species of Oxalis. The bulbs 

 must be planted a good two inches or more below the rim of 

 the pot to allow of earthing-up, otherwise the silvery white 

 coils of tubers will shoulder themselves out in the oddest way, 

 especially if, by chance, they are a little cramped for room. 

 Turn out a pot a few weeks later and not a trace of these 

 fleshy coils remain ; instead, if one looks closely, the rudi- 

 mentary bulbs may be detected clinging to some of the fibrous 

 roots. Later on, these will develop into shining brown 

 " nuts," beloved of mice, for they will travel any distance to 

 get them. 



With the single exception of Lachenalia pendula, the half- 

 hardy bulbs and tubers above detailed may be expected to 

 bloom in March and April, and are, strictly speaking, spring- 

 flowering, though with all such plants grown under shelter of 

 glass a little experience teaches that they may be advanced 

 or retarded with a little change of treatment educated, in fact, 

 to our wishes. 



A little later, but in quick succession, to these come the 

 early flowering Gladioli G. ramosus and its congeners from 

 the dainty " Bride " (G. Colvillei albus), through a whole series 

 of varieties with pink and scarlet flowers, prettily blotched with 

 white. These are followed by the fine cherry-coloured spikes of 

 G. Saundersi, which have only one failing that their stems are 

 too slender for the large flowers, and need support. Lemoine's 

 hybrid strain has also many varieties, with flowers of cream 

 and purple, which provide a useful change of colour. In 

 southern countries, these Gladioli are hardy, and may be left in 

 the open border during the winter, but for the present 

 purpose they are placed more appropriately on the half-hardy 

 list. 



Alstromerias are now favourite border plants, but one of 



