110 BULBS AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 



sun. In September remove to a light greenhouse, main- 

 tain a temperature of 45 to 55 deg., and give stimulants 

 occasionally. The plants must be kept free from insects, 

 have a moist atmosphere about their pots, and a genial 

 warmth and freedom from chills. At each potting use 

 two parts of loam and one of leaf-mould, with only a small 

 quantity of sand. The principal sowing of seed should be 

 made in October and November. The next best time to 

 BOW is January, not later. Those who wish to grow the 

 corms a second year should gradually withhold water after 

 flowering, but never entirely. The pots may be stood in 

 a cold frame on an ash bottom till July, then the corms 

 should be turned out and repotted in fresh compost in 

 small pots. After potting, keep in the frame and some- 

 what close and moist. Syringe the pots daily. As soon 

 as new leaves form, transfer to larger pots, and remove 

 to a light greenhouse, standing the pots on ashes or gravel, 

 which should be kept moist. 



Freesia. Freesias are very popular, fragrant-flowered 

 bulbous plants from South Africa. They have long been 

 great favourites with owners of cool greenhouses, partly on 

 account of the sweetness of their blossoms and partly 

 because of their flowering so freely in winter and spring. 

 Up to a year or so ago the white and yellow forms were the 

 only ones grown, but now we have pretty shades of pink, 

 orange, etc., and thus the Freesia family has become still 

 more valuable as greenhouse decorative plants. They 

 succeed under ordinary cool greenhouse treatment, but if 

 flowers are required early in winter the temperature of a 

 warm house is essential. 



The best time to commence the culture of Freesias is 

 in August. Purchased bulbs should then be planted in 

 5in. pots in a compost of two parts sandy loam, one part 

 leaf-mould, one part well-decayed manure, and a liberal 

 amount of coarse silver sand. Plant seven or eight bulbs 

 one inch deep in the size of pot mentioned. If the bulbs 



