COLD GREENHOUSE, 119 



CHAPTEK IV. 



COLD GREENHOUSE. 



THERE are thousands of persons who either own unheated 

 greenhouses or who only attempt to heat them in an un- 

 satisfactory manner by means of oil stoves. In the first 

 case they could not utilise their cold houses to a better 

 purpose than by growing the many kinds of hardy or half- 

 hardy bulbs that are available for pot culture. And in 

 the second instance it would be far more satisfactory to 

 dispense with heating by oil stoves, and to grow the fol- 

 lowing hardy bulbs which require no artificial heat. In 

 both instances a great deal of pleasure and a beautiful dis- 

 play of flowers might be obtained that would well reward 

 the grower for the cost, time, and labour involved in their 

 cultivation. Any of the following genera, species, and 

 varieties of bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants may be 

 relied upon to give entire satisfaction in a cold house. 

 Most, if not all, of them may also be grown in the open 

 air, but the advantage of growing them in pots is, they 

 will produce their flowers earlier than those grown out- 

 side ; and, moreover, if the grower has the good fortune to 

 possess a cool or a warm greenhouse, he may force some 

 of them into flower still earlier, and so obtain a long suc- 

 cession of flowers. Those that may be forced will be 

 specially mentioned in the cultural details given regarding 

 each genus. 



Albuca The Albucas are half-hardy South African 

 bulbous plants, flowering in summer, and growing from 

 six inches to two feet in height. The species worthy of 

 culture are: Caniculata, yellow; fastigiata, white and 

 green; and Nelsoni, white. 



