86 BULBOUS PLANTS. 



over as other bulbs are after potting, as the leaves are thin and tender 

 and must develop to a considerable extent before the flower stems make 

 their appearance. 



GLADIOLUS— Bulbs of these used to be imported; they are now- 

 grown in great quantities in this country. Most of the kinds grown are 

 of hybrid origin, and not a few of them have originated in America. 

 With florists the plants are cultivated for the sake of the flowers. The first 

 crop is usually grown indoors by planting the bulbs during January or 

 February. They are usually planted among Carnations, the long nar- 

 row leaves of the Gladiolus giving but little shade. For outdoor crops 

 they may be planted in batches from April onward. To have the 

 bulbs in good condition for use the following year the ground should be 

 well mulched as soon as the growths are well above ground. Cultivat- 

 ing is then not necessary and the weeds likely to smother the plants 

 may be removed by hand. 



QLORIOSA SUPERBA and Q. PLANTII are ornamental flowered lilia- 

 ceous plants, very suitable for our hot Summers. The plants have a 

 vine-like growth and must be supported by sticks. They are servicea- 

 ble for the embellishment of greenhouses during Summer. In the District 

 of Columbia they do well out-of- doors. To raise bulbs sow a few seeds 

 in a 6-inch pot and allow them to remain in their seed pots for the Sum- 

 mer, gradually drying off as the foliage turns yellow. Store with Glox- 

 inias during the Winter. Each plant may be potted off singly the fol- 

 lowing Spring. 



HiCMANTHUS — A genus principally of South African bulbous plants; 

 they are all of easy culture. Those which annually lose their foliage 

 produce their beautiful flowers before the new leaves make their appear- 

 ance. To develop the foliage the plants may be treated much in the 

 same way as Amaryllis; that is, planted out in a sunny border, mulched 

 with half-rotted manure and given water during dry weather. They 

 are good plants, but only useful for general collections. 



:!^IS— Some of the tuberous rooted species are very early in bloom- 

 ing, and only need a short term in the greenhouse to bring them into 

 flower after the end of January. I. fllifolia and I. Histrio are two of the 

 best. The tubers should be procured as early as possible, and put in 

 shallow boxes to root. The surfaces should be covered while in the 

 frame with a thin layer of sphagnum moss. I. reticulata, a species 

 which blooms in the open border, very often before the snow is gone, is 

 valuable for forcing in 5-inch pots. The flowers are dwarf and not very 

 large; the foliage is of a grassy nature. From four to six tubers should 

 be put in each pot. The flowers of this species, which are deep purple, 

 have a fragrance much resembling that of the common Violet. There 

 is a lighter colored form called I. r. Krelagei; this, however, has no 

 fragrance. 



LACHENALIAS— By the 1st of August Lachenalia bulbs should be 

 knocked out of the pots, the sizes sorted and the largest put, say four 

 together, in a 5-inch pot, and plunged for the time being among ashes in 

 a frame. The smaller bulbs should be potted or boxed for growing on. 



