OUR NATIVE PLANTS. 153 



folium, PeUandra Virginica^ ard others belong to this class, which 

 we leave now to examine the 



Bulbous Plants. — This class derives its name from the thick 

 and succnlent body called the bulb, that serves as a store from 

 which the stem partly draws its support. Most of the plants be- 

 longing to this class are interesting, while man}^ are of great 

 beauty and merit. They vary greatly in size of flowers, as well 

 as in general appearance, and being distributed all over the States 

 they cannot be successfully grown under any uniform treatment in 

 our gardens. 



The ground for the majority of bulbs should be well drained, 

 and should consist of light loam, leaf-mould, and a good sprinkling 

 of sand ; a thin layer of sand on which the bulbs are placed when 

 planted is advisable, as it will secure them from excessive wet, and 

 thus prevent their possible deca3'. 



The hardy kinds will grow without much trouble in open places. 

 The half-hardy bulbs do not require any artificial heat whatever, 

 but a good rest after they have finished their growth is all they 

 need ; that is, the grower must withhold water from October until 

 the early spring, and for this reason they have to be grown in cold 

 frames, with only suflflcient protection to keep out the frost. And 

 I do not doubt that a great many plants which we have to grow 

 under glass would prove hardy if we could keep the ground dry 

 in the winter. The greenhouse kinds require the same treatment 

 as any ordinary plants under glass ; only they must have a marked 

 season of growth and rest. 



Like other plants they are propagated from seed, which grows 

 easily ; they are also propagated from bulblets that form around 

 the main bulb ; these should be taken off and planted in a place 

 prepared for their reception until they reach flowering size ; which 

 is accomplished in much less time than is required when the plants 

 are raised from seeds. Another way of propagating is by division 

 of the bulb, but this is onl}^ practicable with kinds that have scaly 

 bulbs, such as lilies. A time should be taken for this operation 

 when the plant is at perfect rest ; the scales may then be taken off 

 and inserted in pots or boxes filled with a mixture of sand and 

 leaf-mould or peat. In this wa}' the scale will soon callous, and 

 form a small bulb at the lower end, which after it is properlj^ 

 developed ma}' be planted in the same way as directed for bulblets. 



The most beautiful genus is Liliura, which is much more valua- 



