132 BULBS AND THEIR CULTIVATION* 



in September or October, and in a compost of two parts 

 loam and one of equal proportions of peat, leaf-mould, and 

 silver sand. Store in a cold frame under fibre refuse 

 till growth begins, then transfer to the greenhouse, in- 

 crease the supply of water as growth proceeds, and when 

 the foliage begins to decay gradually withhold water, keep 

 dry and in the greenhouse all the winter. Kepot every 

 third year, and give weak liquid manure the second and 

 third years. Increased by offsets. 



Homeria. This genus, formerly known by the gene- 

 ric name of Bobartia, contains one species, viz., collina, 

 orange, red, and yellow, flowering in May, which does 

 well in pots in a cold house. Native of South Africa. 



Plant the bulbs one inch deep and one inch apart in a 

 Sin. pot, using a compost of equal parts loam, leaf-mould, 

 and coarse silver sand. In other respects treat as advised 

 for Babianas. 



Hyacinthus. The Hyacinth is one of the most popu- 

 lar and universally-grown of all bulbous plants for green- 

 house decoration. It is a very accommodating bulb; may 

 easily be forced to flower early in the year, or allowed to 

 flower naturally in the cold house. The Roman Hya- 

 cinth may be had in flower as early as Christmas. The 

 Dutch Hyacinth (H. orientale) flowers later, and exists in 

 a great variety of colours; also has single and double 

 flowers. The Roman Hyacinth is a white variety of the 

 latter, its botanical name being H. orientale albulus. 

 There is also a pretty dwarf species named H. ciliata or 

 azureus (Syn. Muscari azureum), which bears blue flowers 

 in February, and grows only four inches high. See also 

 selections on p. 170. 



Ordinary Hyacinths may be grown singly in Sin. or 

 three in a Gin. pot, and Roman Hyacinths three or four in 

 a Sin. pot. The most suitable compost in which to grow 

 Hyacinths well consists of two parts loam and one part 



