DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERS, 327 
The Malayans style the Tuberose the mistress of the 
night : — 
“The Tuberose with her silver light, 
That in the gardens of Malay 
Is called-the mistress of the night. 
So like a bride, scented and bright, 
She comes out when the sun’s away.”—Lalla Rookh. 
“The variety with double flowers is the one generally 
in cultivation; the single variety is not so much esteemed. 
This double variety was obtained from the seed by Mon- 
sieur Le Cour, of Leyden, in Holland, who for many years 
was so tenacious of the roots, even after he had prop- 
agated them in such plenty as to have more than he could 
plant, that he caused them to be cut in pieces to have the 
vanity of boasting that he was the only person in Europe 
who possessed this flower.” Luckily, that man died in 
due course of time, and as he could not carry them with 
him, they have since been disseminated among florists and 
amateurs throughout the world; but no thanks to that 
mean man. The roots are the best which are large and 
plump, provided they are sound and firm, and the fewer 
offsets they have the stronger they will flower. The un- 
der parts of the roots or bulbs should be particularly ex- 
amined, because it is there they first begin to decay. The 
best compost for the Tuberose, is said to be “two wheel- 
barrows of light maiden loam, one ditto of decomposed 
hot-bed dung, and a little white sand should be well chop- 
ped and mixed together in autumn; this should be exposed 
to the frost during the winter, that it may become ame- 
liorated and thoroughly decomposed. To have flowers in 
perfection in August or September, the bulbs should be 
potted and set to growing in March. The bulbs should 
be first prepared by taking off the loose rind and super- 
fluous offsets, or side bulbs, being careful not to injure the 
principal one. Then provide a quantity of six-inch-pots, 
well drained with broken pot-sherds; they must be filled 
