BULBOUS PLA^'TS. 



bed will last good for several seasons, and if made 

 duiing the summer, the bed will be in a good con- 

 dition to receive the bulbs in autumn. The majority 

 of the Cape bulbs, if planted in such a bed as this, 

 will not require to be lifted for two or three years, 

 and even then they may be re-planted without re- 

 newing the soil. September is the best time to 

 purchase and plant Cape bulbs, and never later than 

 October, for after this date the bulbs, if kej)t out 

 of the ground, become weakened. Almost as soon 

 as planted they begin growth by emitting roots, 

 although there are no signs of leaves ; but no water 

 should be given before spring, as the soil is gener- 

 ally moist enough to maintain healthy root-action. 

 During winter the fi-ames wiU require to be venti- 

 lated in order to keep the soil in a sweet condition, 

 and during frosty weather they must be protected 

 by mats or other material. It is a very good plan 

 to sprinkle a layer of dried fern or litter over the 

 soil, but this must be entirely removed so soon as 

 the bulbs begin to push up leaves ; then the lights 

 must be taken off during fine weather, and only put 

 on to keep off excessive rains. After the bulbs have 

 flowered, and growth is ripened, the lights may be 

 kept on so as to favour the ripening of the leaves, 

 and all that is necessary in autumn is to give a thin 

 surface-layer of compost. 



For pot-culture in frames, the bulbs when purchased 

 in autumn should be at once potted in rr- ?derate-sized 

 pots, in compost such as that recommer^ded for beds. 

 The pots should be well drained, and the bulbs should 

 only be placed just beneath the sm-face. It is a good 

 plan to plunge the pots in the fi-ame in a bed of ashes 

 up to the rims, which tends to maintain an equable 

 state of moisture in the soil. The same directions 

 as those given above apply to pot plants, always re- 

 membering these plants require abundance of light 

 and air, all the sunshine possible, plenty of water 

 when in active growth, and drj-ness while at rest. 



Hardy Bulbs the cultivator may conveniently 

 di^-ide into two classes. The first are those that are 

 perfectly hardy and vigorous growers, quite able 

 to take care of themselves fi-om year to year without 

 attention, therefore, if well planted at the outset, do 

 not require to be lifted for years, and then, only 

 for the sake of increasing the stock. This class in- 

 cludes such as Snowdrops, the hardy Scillas, most of 

 the Daffodils and Lilies, Crown Imperials, and the 

 like. The other class includes those which, thougli 

 as hardy as the others, are benefited by periodical 

 lifting, either annually or every second or third 

 year. Examples of this class are the Dog's-tooth 

 Violets {Er>jthroniu)n), Millas, Brodifeas, Crocuses, 

 and bulbous Irises {Xiphion). The directions under 

 these heads will be given under each genus. There 



311 



can be no definite rule laid down either with regard 

 to the most suitable soil or the best position for 

 hardy bulbs; but, generally speaking, the situation 

 should be fully exposed to the sun, yet, if possible, 

 sheltered from the north and east, for this reason, 

 that by far the greater number of hardy bulbs 

 flower duiing the first fom- months of the year, when 

 northerly and easterly winds are ]3revalent, and these 

 often injure the flowers badly. The best soil for a 

 general collection of bulbs is a good friable loam. It 

 should be deep, as the roots of most bulbs penetrate 

 deeply, and though a moist soil is essential, well- 

 di-ained beds are indispensable, to prevent the possi- 

 biUty of stagnant moisture. In damp localities it is 

 a good plan to make bulb beds as Asparagus beds are 

 usually made — that is, raised above the surface, with 

 alleys between them. The beds being naiTOw, the 

 soil becomes warmed by the sun, and this conduces 

 to the ripening of the bulbs. Of course in a light, 

 diy soil such a plan would not answer, as the bulbs 

 would not get enough moisture. 



One general rule may be laid down, which applies 

 to all bulbs, and though it has been before alluded 

 to, it is so important that it will be weU to reiterate 

 it ; and that is, to always allow the foliage to decay 

 naturalhj. It is the baneful practice of tidy gar- 

 deners to cut off the leaves of bulbous plants imme- 

 diately they show the least signs of decay, and often 

 as soon as the flowers are over. The same applies 

 to those kinds with stems, such as Lilies and Crown 

 Imperials, and it is a well-known fact that if Crown 

 Imperial stems are cut off, the bulbs are weakened. 

 They should be allowed to di'op off. 



LIFTING AND STORING BULBS. 



As success in bulb-culture depends so much on 

 the proper lifting, drpng, and resting of bulbs, 

 and as no definite rules can be laid down which 

 would apply to every class of bulb, the cultivator 

 should base his practice on a few general principles. 



The condition under which a bulb grows naturally 

 is always a safe course to follow, although it is often 

 difficult to closely imitate these. The knowledge of 

 the native habitats of a bulb is therefore useful to the 

 cultivator. For example, European bulbs, inhabiting 

 central or northern parts, are hardy, and need neither 

 lifting, diying, nor resting, unless for purposes of 

 propagation or change of soil. If a native of South 

 Europe, or in fact any part of the Mediterranean 

 coast, then its perfect hardiness in this coimtry is 

 more doubtful, and in order to rest the bulbs they 

 must, as a rule, be lifted, or, if grown in pots, kept 

 dry, because their natural period of rest occurs 

 generally during the hot and dry period in summer, 

 and no rains occur until autumn to stimulate the 



