FOREWORDS 



There was a time when bulhovs plants of all hinds received the 

 attention of a considerable section of horticulturists. Dean Herbert 

 was the high priest of the cult, among the most notable of his disciples 

 being Wilson Saunders, Joad, Michael Foster, Peter Barr, Sir Charles 

 Strickland, and Max Leichtlin. They collected and cultivated bulbous 

 plants in the same spirit as predominates among the leading fanciers 

 of orchids to-day. But with this difference, there wasn't any gambling 

 in bulbs. There are, of course, certain kinds of bulbs which rank 

 among the most popular garden plants; but there are scarcely any 

 collectors of species outside botanical gardens. Bulbous plants of the. 

 Lily, Iris, and Amaryllis families are both numerous and varied. 

 Many of them are reputedly difficult to cultivate, yet not more so than 

 orchids used to be. The worst in this respect are the species which 

 grow naturally in intense sunshine and have a definite period of dry 

 rest. Such are many of the Crinums, Buphanes, and the Xiphiod 

 Irises. Years ago, bulb fanciers would meet and discuss the merits 

 and requirements of their favourites in the most enlightening and 

 stimulating manner. But how many of the present-day cultivators 

 show any inclination to do this ? The plants are out of favour, pre- 

 sumably because they are not easy to manage, an objection that is 

 generally dissipated by a better knowledge of the essential requirements. 

 Gardening that is worthy of the name has higher aims than the 

 cultivation of the vulgar crowd of plants which anybody can manage. 

 The development of orchids as garden plants may be taken as a proof 

 of what can be accomplished by persevering experiment. 



Such genera as Lilium, Gladiolus, Tulipa, Narcissus, Hyacinthus, 

 Crocus, Iris, Galanthus, Hippeastrum, and Nerine have been to a large 

 extent conquered by the arts of cultivation and breeding ; and there 



