^ 7~I? G harder) ar)d La^r). fc 



FREESIAS. 



IHERE is no class of winter blooming bulbs that 

 better deserve their popularity than freesias. 

 They are beautiful and fragrant and so cheap that 

 all ran have them. Last, but far from least among 

 their merits is the fact that they are easy to suc- 

 ceed with. Give a good soil and good drainage, 

 l'ot three or four in a four inch pot and place in 

 the window where they are to grow, and with an 

 occasional watering until they begin to bloom, it 

 is almost impossible to fail. When the buds 



begin to develop nicely give a little liquid fertilizer of some sort, but remember 



that in using these fertilizers the safe rule is " little and often." After blooming 



they require but little water, still it is advisable to lessen the quantity by degrees. 



in order to let the bulb fully mature before it gets thoroughly dry. 



Perhaps the best of the freesias are those known as Giant Bermuda's. They 



are larger and stronger both in bulb and blossom, and it is poor economy to 



purchase cheaper ones. Plant any time 



from Sept. ist, until the end of Novem- 

 ber, but don't fail to plant at least a few. 



When potted start them growing at once 



as they do not need to be kept in the 



dark while making roots, as the hya 



cinth and some other bulbs do, 



There is another plant that in bulb. 



foliage and flower so closely resembles 



the freesia that is commonly called one. 



Its flowers are scarlet, with darker blot- 

 ches, so it is spoken of as scarlet freesia, 



but its true name is Anomatheca cru- 



enta. If this is wanted to bloom, as a 



companion plant with the others, it must 



be potted earlier, as it takes longer for it 



to come into bloom. It is slightly more 



expensive, but even one bulb adds great- 

 ly to the beauty of the collection. The 



Giant Bermuda freesias range in color 



from white to orange, some being solid 



colors, while others are blotched or shaded, and the one only serves to enhance 



the beauty of the other, as there are no shades to " light" with each other, Eva 



Gau i \ui>. in Farm and Home. 



(20) 



Fie. 495.— Giant Bermuda. 



