BULBOUS PLANTS 275 



cutting. Farther north it stands the Winters by placing a quantity 

 of leaves over the crowns and these held in place with a spadeful 

 or two of soil thrown over them. 



Propagation. It is increased by division. Some of the newer 

 varieties are very prolific bloomers. They are increased from seeds 

 and especially by division in the Autumn. 



TULIPA (Tulip). There are a number of forms of Tulips, all 

 of which are interesting. The earliest Tulips are of the Due Van 

 Thol group {Tulipa suaveolens). The stems are rather short and 

 they would not be commended for garden culture except for the 

 fact that they are very early. They are usually characterized by 

 rather pointed or laterally rolled petals. The midseason Tulips oc- 

 cupy most of the garden interest. Hundreds of varieties are pic- 

 tured and described in the catalogues. This main group is often 

 termed T. Gesneriana. It includes the peculiar fringed petaled 

 group, known as the Parrot or Dragon, together with the Darwins 

 with their subtle colors and long stems, as well as the May flowering 

 or Cottage varieties, which possess the long stems of the Darwins, 

 but the blooms, instead of being globular, are more or less bell 

 shaped, the tips of the petals being reflexed. (For Culture, see head 

 of this chapter, pps. 242, 243.) 



VALLOTA (Scarborough Lily). The commonly cultivated 

 species is V. purpurea, a very useful plant, either for the greenhouse 

 or the window garden, but not of much service to the florist, as it 

 flowers at a period when the demand for cut flowers is not very 

 great. The flowers are reddish scarlet, several in an umbel; in ap- 

 pearance somewhat like those of an Amaryllis. The foliage is ever- 

 green, but during the resting season the supply of water should be 

 curtailed. As the bulbs will last in the same pots for several years, 

 the drainage should be carefully arranged, and the soil mixed with 

 crushed bone. During growth occasional waterings with manure 

 should be given. 



Propagation. The Vallota has a very curious method of mak- 

 ing young plants. These young plants are produced to such an 

 extent that the process tends to curtail the flowering propensities 

 of the larger bulbs if attention be not given in the matter of re- 

 moving them. In course of time they form two colonies, one on 

 each side of the parent bulb. The bases of the leaves forming the 

 bulb have each a small, bud like growth a considerable distance 

 from the base or disk, but attached to the disk by a root like for- 

 mation which continues active, after the swollen base of the leaf is 



