LA CHEN ALIA —LAPA GERIA . 



99 



and cover with about half an inch of soil. Arrange the pots in a cool, shallow frame 

 on a bed of ashes, and give a watering to settle the soil about the bulbs. In this 

 frame they ought to remain till November or later, ventilating freely in mild weather 

 and protecting from severe frosts. If moved into a greenhouse long before the flower 

 spikes show, they ought to be assigned a light, airy position, yet well out of cold 

 draughts, a swing shelf in a greenhouse answering well. Avoid over-watering in the 

 early stages of growth, and apply liquid manure, or better still, a light surfacing of 

 Standen's manure when the flower spikes are advancing. A dry heat has the effect of 

 stunting the growth, and so also have cold currents of air. 



Lachenalias are sometimes used for filling hanging baskets made of wire; the 

 baskets are lined with moss, soil placed in them, and the bulbs disposed as the filling 

 proceeds so as to face downwards at first, then outwards, and lastly upwards near the 

 surface. If these baskets are suspended in a cool pit or house, and the soil kept moist, 

 the bulbs will push their growths through the moss and between the wires outwards, 

 globular masses of bright and elegant spikes resulting. 



Lachenalia flowers retain their freshness from six weeks to two months in a cool 

 shady house, and keep well in a cut state. After the flowering period is past the 

 plants ought to be exposed to the full sun to promote ripening, and when the leaves are 

 dead water must be entirely withheld, till the bulbs are started afresh at the time 

 above stated. 



LAPAGERIA. 



Lapagerias hold their own among the most beautiful of greenhouse climbing plants, 

 and are particularly effective when trained over a greenhouse or conservatory roof, or 

 against the shady ends and walls of these structures. They can be successfully grown 

 in pots, and for the late summer exhibitions good specimens have weight in a collection 

 of six or more stove or greenhouse plants. 



The original species, L. rosea, was introduced from Chili in 1847, and its merits 

 were quickly appreciated in this country, though all growers alike have not been 

 uniformly successful with it. It produces rosy-crimson flowers from the axils of the 

 leaves, firm trailing growths producing wreaths of lovely bell-shaped flowers. Strong 

 plants are seldom without few or many flowers, and the durability of the blooms is 

 equally satisfactory. The flowers differ somewhat on plants which have been raised 



