December i8, 1889.] 



Garden and Forest. 



607 



and every week from ten to twenty thousand bulbs are dis- 

 posed of in this way alone. In addition there are the thous- 

 ands of bulbs which the nurserymen import direct from Japan 

 and distribute. Apparently the Jai>anese are as successful in 

 the multiplication of this Lily as the Dutch are in that of Hya- 

 cinths and Tulips, otherwise the annual supply woidd not 

 increase as it has done. The treatment to which the large 

 majority of the bulbs of L. auratum are subjected in England 

 must be very wide of what is right, for when properly treated 

 no Lily is more easy to cultivate nor increases in theground 

 more rapidly. It should be planted six inches deep in beds in 

 which Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Kalmias, or other peat-loving' 

 plants are grown, protected from severe frosts by a cone of 

 ashes or cocoa-nut fibre about six inches high, and otherwise 

 let alone. Treated thus at Kew a single bulb has in three 

 years multiplied so as to produce ele\'en stems with an ag- 

 gregate of one liundred and twenty IjIooius. 



• London. W- Wat SOU. 



in cultivation, all would be well; but instead of this, one re- 

 ceives amongst a mass of almost worthless varieties only a few 

 with distinct characters, and a whole year, perhaps two, will 

 be lost before they can all be determined. If seeds from 

 selected varieties be sown at the same time, many of them 

 will bloom the second year, and the raiser will be able to 

 make his selection not later than the third year after sowing if 

 the seedlings have been well treated. This means of procur- 

 ing new forms is certainly the best, especially when we take 

 into account the fact that one, at least, of the old varieties is 

 well known to grow and Hower freely on heavy, clayey soil 

 where the other varieties totally refuse to grow at all. By 

 means of seedlings the nimiljer of varieties for heavy soils 

 may be increased and the characters made more pronounced. 

 We are not at all sure that the best treatment for the Christ- 

 mas Rose, whether in heavy or light soils, is fully understood, 

 for a really fine plant can rarely be found in any of our nur- 

 series, but this in a measure mav be owing to the practice of 



Fif;. 153. — Abraham's Oak. — Sec page 602. 



Cultural Department. 

 Christmas Roses. 



BESIDES the annual importations from the native countries 

 of Helleboriis niger and its varieties, much is being done in 

 a quiet way at home in raising seedlings from the best of the 

 old established forms, and many of these are already showing 

 characteristics which give the raisers every encouragement to 

 redouble their energies in this good work of improvement. 

 Although it is quite true that from these native habitats, chielly 

 Italy, the Tyrol and other parts of Austria, we occasionally get 

 a really handsome form, it becomes a very doubtful question 

 if the expenses of collecting, freight and other dues can be real- 

 ized in the face of the many good forms raised at home. If one 

 was always sure of procuring, in quantity, some form not already 



breaking up the clumps for propagation. The prevalent idea 

 seems to be that the Christmas Rose loves an unmanured soil, 

 whereas oin* experience points rather to the most liberal treat- 

 ment. Their first requirement is a deep, rich, well drained, 

 but moist, soil. Then they need liberal top-dressing early 

 in autumn, with stable manure, leaf soil and soot, if procura- 

 ble ; this given early in autumn feeds the plants at a time 

 when they most need it — when fhe buds are being formed. 

 The dressing may he lightly forked in late in spring. The 

 last requirement is comjilete shelter from cold, drying winds. 

 The same treatment for this -Iiandsome group of winter tlow- 

 ers will, no doubt, be applicable in the United States. 



These Hellebores are sure to attain a high perfection in the 

 UnitedStates. This is especially true of //. nigcr a//i/o/ins,w\\\ch 

 does exceedingly well in Scotland, -where it perhaps attains its 

 greatest perfection in the Unitcil King<lom. Hellebores also do 



