24S 



JOURNAL OP HOETICTJLTtrEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



[ September 27, 1864. 



visible, when they should he removed to a house with a tem- 

 perature of from 45° to 50°. In this stage advantage may he 

 taken to apply liquid manure at every alternate watering, 

 •which will improve the substance of petal, and I think the 

 colours are brighter. Care, however, should be taken not 

 to apply it too strong. I find fresh cow and sheep-dung, a 

 peek of each put in about 70 gallons of rain water, make a 

 liquid quite strong enough for the Tulip. At other times 

 the Tulip should be supplied with clear water only ; and it 

 should be borne in mind that liquid manure will not do any 

 good unless the plants receive fresh air, and all the light 

 practicable by close proximity to the glass, which is the 

 secret in growing large flowers on short stout footstalks, 

 and in giving brilliancy of colour. In a strong heat and at 

 a distance from the glass they become drawn, and are inca- 

 pable of supporting the blooms, and staking them to keep 

 the head erect is anything but sightly. 



CROCUSES. 

 I was much pleased at seeing a lovely Crocus to-day 

 (September 9th) peeping from its lowly bed. I will say 

 something about autumn-flowering Crocuses in due time; 

 but at present I will treat of those most suitable for grow- 

 ing in pots, sand, &c, and in water. 



New Giant Yellow, a splendid yell ow 

 Grande Vidette, fine blue. 



Prince Albert, purple ; pare and 



decided. 

 Queen Victoria, pure white. 

 Ne Plus Ultra, large blue. A great 



advance. 

 £a Majesteuse, large ; striped. 

 Bride of Lammermoor, striped. 

 Albion, immense blooms ; white and 



blue striped, 

 ©arid Rizzio, dark purple. 



Sir Walter Scott, large; white and 



blue striped. 

 Versicolor, striped. 

 Maria Stuart, white. 

 Lord Byron, bright blue. 

 Elfride, white. 



Bride of Abydos, pure white. 

 Lilaceus snperbus, a good lilac. 



Crocuses like the same soil as Hyacinths, and should be 

 potted five in a six-inch pot, placing them about half an 

 inch below the surface, and plunging the pots in the same 

 maimer as directed for early Tulips. They are to remain 

 plunged until the foliage appears above the plunging 

 material, when the pots are to be freed of dirt, and placed 

 in a cold frame, protection being given from frost and heavy 

 rains, but full exposure at other times. Keep the pots 

 there until the beginning of December, when they may be 

 placed on a shelf in the greenhouse, where abundance of air 

 should be afforded ; and if kept well supplied with water the 

 bulbs will bloom finely in due time, usually about a month 

 before those in the open ground. 



If required to bloom at Christmas, Crocuses should be 

 removed from the plunging material by the 1st of November, 

 and be placed on a shelf in a cool greenhouse, as close to the 

 glass as possible without actually touching it ; and if fresh 

 air pass over them continually they will show how grateful 

 it is to them by the thickness of the rising bud and the short- 

 ness of the foliage. In the last week in November remove 

 them to a warm greenhouse, with a night temperature of 

 45°, taking care to avoid the usual causes of blindness — viz., 

 great distance from the glass or light, and a high tempe- 

 rature with but little air. Water freely, but not until it is 

 wanted, and in a fortnight or so place in a temperature of 

 50", and supply with weak liquid manure, affording them a 

 light and airy situation. Nothing is so pernicious to the 

 Crocus as confined air with a strong heat. "When highly 

 •excited the flowers perish in the sheath, and the foliage 

 grows at a rapid rate. If the pots are removed to a house 

 with a temperature of from 40 Q to 45° when the blooms are 

 about half expanded, these will last much longer in beauty. 



For growing in glasses select the largest and most healthy- 

 looking bulbs. Place a lump of charcoal about the size of a 

 walnut in the glass, and fill up the glass to within a very 

 little of the base of the bulb with rain or pond water. Set 

 the glasses in a cool dark place for a month, and then expose 

 to light. The most suitable position is the window of a cool 

 room facing the south, placing them quite close to the glass, 

 and where a little fresh air can be admittecT'in mild weather. 

 The glass should be kept filled to within half an inch of the 

 base of the bulb as the water is exhausted by the plant or 

 evaporates, letting it remain in the room twenty-four hours 

 before it is put into the glasses. With this treatment the 

 bulbs will bloom well, but by no means equal to those in 

 soil. If kept in a warm room in a dark place, at a distance 

 from the glass, and without air, they will not bloom at all, 

 but produce an exuberant mass of foliage. Crocuses in 



water are not adapted for forcing, but should be allowed to 

 bloom gradually, the heat of a living-room or sitting-room 

 being quite warm enough ; and even there they must be 

 kept near *he glass and be turned round daily, placing 

 opposite points to the light, or they will become one-sided. 

 To grow Crocuses in moss or sand in the form of pyramids, 

 and in a variety of vessels, place a layer of moss at the 

 bottom of the vessel, and fill it to within an inch of the 

 intended surface with sand, if this is the material to be 

 employed, or fill with moss, pressing it tightly ; then place 

 the bulbs about 2 inches apart on the surface, and just cover 

 them with sand or moss as the case may be. Give a good 

 watering, and set in a cool place. When the buds appear 

 remove to a cool window, watering them occasionally so as 

 to keep the soil thoroughly moist. Kept in a light, airy, 

 cool situation, they will bloom in due time ; and whatever 

 heat they are subjected to it must be given gradually, for 

 the Crocus of all bulbs is the most impatient of forcing. 

 The essentials to success are close proximity to the glass, 

 fresh air daily, pots full of roots, and a temperature not 

 exceeding 50° by fire heat. For early blooming they should 

 be potted early in September ; and for succession, generally 

 at intervals of a fortnight until November. 



JONQUILS. 

 Their fragrance is their chief attraction. They require 

 the same treatment as other kinds of Narcissus. I usually 

 place five bulbs in an 18-sized pot, covering them with soil 

 to the neck, placing them in ashes out of doors, and other- 

 wise treating them as the Polyanthus Narcissus. Unless 

 the blooms are wanted early, when they should be forwarded 

 as recommended for Hyacinths, it is not advisable to force 

 them much before the days lengthen, otherwise the foliage 

 is long and the flower -stems weak. The large double do 

 very well in water in Crocus-glasses, if afforded the same 

 treatment as Hyacinths. The single are very sweet, and 

 admirably adapted for pot culture. 



THE SNOWDROP. 

 This is occasionally forced, but it comes in at such an 

 early period naturally, as to leave little to be desired or 

 gained by doing so. Where they are desired, some strong 

 bulbs should be taken from the open ground, potted early 

 in August, and plunged in coal ashes in a cold frame. In 

 November remove to a cool greenhouse, and place on a 

 shelf near the glass, where they will need copious supplies 

 of water, and air on all favourable occasions. They should 

 not be introduced into a temperature exceeding 45° until the 

 flower-buds show. Any description of loamy soil suits them. 



IRIS. 

 Of these the most suitable are the Peacock Iris (Iris 

 pavonia), and the Persian Iris (Iris persica). Iris susiana 

 is very distinct. They should be planted early, three to five 

 in the size of pot large enough to hold them without touch- 

 ing each other. Having filled the pot three parts full put 

 in the roots, cover with soil to within half an inch of the 

 rim of the pot, and place in a cold frame. It is desirable to 

 have the soil in a moist state, so that no water may be 

 necessary until the growth appears. They should be pro- 

 tected from frost and heavy rains. If required to bloom 

 early they may be removed to a cool, light, airy situation in 

 the greenhouse. They are rather impatient of heat, and 

 will only endure a moderate amount of forcing. They should 

 be watered rather sparingly at first, increasing the quantity 

 with the increased growth of foliage. The heat of a warm 

 greenhouse is sufficient forcing at any time, and this should 

 not be given until the foliage is somewhat advanced, and 

 it must then be accompanied with abundance of fresh air. 



IXIAS AND SPARAXIS. 

 The soil most suitable for these is light turfy loam one- 

 half, leaf mould one-fourth, and peat one-fourth, with a free 

 admixture of sand. Drain a 24-sized or six-inch pot to one- 

 third its depth, and then fill with compost, placing five 

 roots about 1 inch below the surface. Place in a cold frame, 

 protecting from frost and heavy rains until the pots are 

 filled with roots, when they may be set on shelves in the 

 greenhouse, water being duly supplied, air admitted daily, 

 and no more heat given than is necessary to exclude frost. 

 Water freely as the plants advance towards a flowering 



