348 GARDEN PLANTS. PART II. 



tion is rarely, if ever, attended with satisfaction. Dr. Yoigt 

 states, that out of thirty-five species which had been introduced 

 into the Serampore Garden during a period of seventeen years, 

 only one had flowered, and continued to do so. When residing 

 at Howrah I procured from England a large quantity of bulbs of 

 the different sorts, and though they reached me in the season- 

 able month of October in sound and excellent condition, few 

 blossomed at all, and those that did produced but the very 

 poorest flowers. No better success, I have understood, has 

 attended the cultivation of those which have been brought down 

 from the Hills. 



They require a light soil of vegetable mould and decayed 

 cow-manure loosened with sand. The bulbs should be planted 

 three inches deep ; the larger ones singly, and the smaller, such 

 as Jonquils and Hoop-petticoats, three in a pot. They need 

 little or no water till they have well started, and if they do not 

 start as soon as might be expected they must not be impatiently 

 watered to induce them to do so, or they will be very likely to 

 rot. Once in vigorous growth they require to be well watered 

 continually till the leaves, turning colour, show that the bulbs are 

 about returning to rest again. Water must then be gradually 

 withholden, and when the leaves are dead discontinued alto- 

 gether. 



1. N. Jonquilla JONQUIL. This is the only species I have 

 had any success with near Calcutta. I procured bulbs from 

 England some years ago, and they have thriven and blossomed 

 well every Cold season since, with their small pretty bright- 

 yellow flowers. 



2. N. Tazetta. Has white flowers with pale-yellow cup. Dr. 

 Voigt states that this flowered, and continued to do so in the 

 Serampore Garden. 



Alstromeria. 



A genus of curious and interesting plants, distinct from any 

 of the preceding of this order in having, for the most part, 

 fibrous roots without bulbs. Their leaves have the peculiarity 

 of taking a twist just at their footstalks, and always presenting 

 their under surface upwards. They are said to do best planted 

 as deep as eight or ten inches in the soil. 



2. A. psittacina. Has clusters of bulb-like roots, and sends up 



