THE BULB HOUSE. 



141 



young biilbs as form roimd their sides, which, if not displaced, would rob 

 the principal bulb of its due share of nourishment, and consequently, 

 deprive it of the power of producing its flowers ; some species of this 

 tribe also form their young bulbs under the old ones, so that in coiu*se of 

 time they would get so deep, if planted out, as at first to send up weak 

 stems, and ultimately to cease to appear ; and, if in pots, worJd get so low 

 in them, that they would not have room for their roots to extend in search 

 of noiuishment. 



Besides this regulation of the roots, in regard to number, there is also 

 another important reason for either taking bulbs out of the mould once 

 a-year, or for placing them in a state of rest, and that is, their being 

 thereby rendered more excitable when again planted, which evidently 

 is the case with bulbs that have been kept for a reasonable time in a 

 dormant state. 



The late botanist Sweet, who studied the culture of Amaryllis and other 

 similar bulbs in the once celebrated collection of the late Mr. Colville, 

 found the advantage of turning out the bulbs from the pots when the 

 leaves had ripened ; and when divested entirely fi'om the mould, he laid 

 them upon shelves, in a dry, moderately warm situation, leavhig them 

 untn they began to show flowers, when they were taken out and potted. 

 This practice, in our opinion, has some considerable advantages, for, that 

 during their season of repose they occupy little space, are kept perfectly 

 inactive, and are secure against the attacks of vermin. But this mode of 

 treatment ^Ir Sweet did not consider appHcable to all the genus, for he 

 remarks, that " Amaryllis, reticulata, and striatifolia, or the mules raised 

 from them, wiU flower much better by remaining in pots aU the year, as 

 do also A, aiiUca, calyptrata, Solandr(jeflora /" but these of coiu'se must 

 be kept dr}', so as to remain quite dormant, otherwise they will not 

 flower with certainty. " A. reginxB, crocata, ru.tila, acciuninata, fulgida, 

 Johnsmii, psittacina , and the mules between them, are much better turned 

 out.'^ 



"SMien the production of fine flowers is more an object of deske on the 

 part of the cultivator than the multiphcation of plants, we woidd say, 

 destroy aU young plants as they appear above ground roimd the old bulb ; 

 and this may be done with great ease and safety by displacing a portion 

 of the mould round the bulb, and rubbing off the offsets, either vdih 

 the finger or a piece of blunt stick. By this practice, a great accession of 

 strength is given to the main plant, both for the display of blossom 

 during the current year, and also for invigorating the leaves to prepare 

 and deposit nutriment in the bulb for the succeeding year. And, m con- 



