108 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



Easter. The plants bloom from ten to twelve weeks from 

 planting, under ordinary care. No special treatment is re- 

 quired ; keep the plants cool and moist through the growing 

 season. The soil should contain a little sand mixed with 

 fibrous loam, and the pot should be well drained. After 

 flowering, gradually withhold water and the tops will die 

 down, after which the roots may be shaken out and rested 

 until time to plant in fall. Care should be taken to keep them 

 perfectly dry. The bulbs increase rapidly from offsets. 

 Plants may also be grown from seed, which should be sown 

 as soon as ripe, giving blooming plants the second or third 

 year. Height 12 or 15 inches. Easy to bloom in the win- 

 dow. The white form (Freesia refracta alba) is the best. 

 See Bulbs. 



Fritillaria, or FRITILLARY. Bulbous plants, 



the commoner species hardy. Only the Crown Imperial is 

 well known in this country. This is an old-fashioned plant, 

 which takes care of itself when once planted. The other 

 hardy Fritillarias are treated like tulips. 



Frost. The light frosts of late spring and of 

 early fall may be prevented by any means which will keep 

 the air in motion, or which will fill the air with moisture or 

 cloud -like vapor, so that there is less radiation from the 

 ground. When frost is expected, it is well to water the 

 plants and the ground thoroughly. This will ordinarily pro- 

 tect them from two or three degrees of still frost. The water 

 should be applied just at nightfall. On larger areas, it is 

 often practicable to make a smudge. In order to be 

 effective, the smudge must be rather dense and lie over 

 the whole area, and it should be kept up until the danger 

 from frost is past. Material which burns very slowly and 

 with much smoke is preferable. Moist manure or straw or 

 other litter is useful. Materials which are dry enough to 

 blaze are of little use. Ordinarily, frost comes towards 

 morning. It is well to have the piles of rubbish ready at 

 nightfall and have them lighted toward the latter part of 



