IO 



HENDERSON'S BULB CULTURE. 



ture of loam, leaf -mould and sand to encourage 

 them to root freely. They should be let come on 

 slowly and sturdily in a frame or greenhouse near 

 the glass, and receive plenty of ventilation when 

 the weather is favorable to the admission of air, 

 so that they will not draw and get leggy. It will 

 also be necessary to harden them off by giving- 

 plenty of air night and day before planting them 

 out, which may be safely done the first week in 

 June. The soil for the beds in which they are to 

 be planted should be well broken up and enriched 

 with a good dressing of well rotted manure, and 

 the plants placed six to nine inches apart. It is 

 desirable also to water them now and again when 

 the soil is dry, but this should not be done when 

 the full sun's rays are on them, or the leaves will 

 be scorched. A mulching of well rotted manure 

 or leaf -mould will be of great service to prevent 

 evaporation and keep the roots cool. Just before 

 the first frost the tubers should be carefully taken 

 up, dried slowly in the shade and stored in sand 

 or sawdust in shallow boxes in a room where frost 

 is not allowed to enter, and not in the vicinity of 

 hot pipes or fire heat. 



When grown in pots it is advisable to make sev- 

 eral plantings from January to March, so as to 

 lengthen the season. The tubers should be placed 

 in small pots in rather sandy soil and as soon as 

 frest roc? and leaves appear, shifted on into larger 

 pots, as required, and grown on in a temperature 

 of 55 degrees to 65 degrees, giving plenty of light 

 and air to keep the plants stocky, but shading 

 from strong sun to prevent burning. Give manure 

 water once or twice a week when the pot gets full 

 of roots, and see that they do not suffer for water 

 at any time till their beauty is over, when the sup- 

 ply may be gradually diminished and the plants 

 dried off. Dormant tubers may be had from Octo- 

 ber till June. 



BELLEVALIA. Roman Squill. 



A small genus of hardy bulbs with white flow- 

 •ers growing freely under the same conditions in 

 which the Grape Hyacinth {Muscarz) is grown, 

 and the finer species of which they closely re- 

 semble. 



BESSERA ELEGANS. 



A pretty little bulbous plant, the best known of 

 the genus, with stems about a foot high, support- 

 ing an umbel of ten to sixteen drooping bell-shaped 

 flowers, bright vermillion outside and rosy white 

 inside. It grows well in a mixture of sandy lcam 

 and leaf-mould, and requires abundance of water 

 when in a growing state. The bulbs should be 

 planted in spring in groups or beds, and taken up 

 in fall and dried off and kept warm during winter, 

 like the Tigridia. 



BLOOMERIA AUREA. 



An attractive little California bulbous plant, 

 producing umbels of golden yellow, delicate lily- 

 like flowers on stems six to eighteen inches high. 

 It stands the winter in light, well drained soil, but 

 succeeds best with the protection of a cold frame 

 or pit. Five or six bulbs grown in light, sandy soil 

 in five inch pots form most interesting plants for 

 the house or conservatory. Dormant bulbs may 

 be procured from September to March. 



BOBARTIA. 



A small genus of half-hardy bulbous plants, with 

 yellow flowers and rush-like leaves. They flower 



in spring and grow best in a mixture of sandy 

 loam and leaf-mould. Thev require the protec- 

 tion of a cold frame or greenhouse north of Wash- 

 ington. Dormant bulbs may be procured from 

 September to December. 



BOMARIA. 



A beautiful genus of greenhouse twiners with 

 orange or rose, green-tipped flowers produced 

 during July and August. They grow well in a 

 mixture of very sandy loam and leaf-mould, and 

 require a liberal supply of manure water during 

 the season of growth. Dormant tubers may be 

 had from September to March. 



BOUSSINGAULTIA. Madiera or 

 Mignonette Vine. 



This well known white-flowered, sweet-scented 

 climber is of rapid growth, succeeding well in any 

 soil or situation. Plant in April or May, and take 

 up the tubers after the first frost, and "store them 

 in a cool place, like potatoes. Dormant tubers 

 may be procured from November to June. 



BRAVOA. Scarlet Twin Flower. 



A graceful, tuberous rooted Mexican plant, 

 bearing a cluster of small crimson, Amaryllis-like 

 flowers in July on a spike about a foot in height. 

 It is adapted for the greenhouse or cold frame, 

 thrives best in a light loamy soil, and should be 

 watered sparingly. Dormant tubers may be pro- 

 cured from November to May. 



BRODLEA. 



Showy, half-hardy California bulbs, with lovely 

 light red, blue or white tubular flowers, borne in 

 clusters, on stems one to two feet high. They 

 may be grown in the greenhouse or cold frame", 

 or if planted out in spring in clumps or masses 

 they flower very freely in June and July. Dor- 

 mant bulbs mav be procured from November to 

 May. 



BRUNSVIGIA. Candelabra Flower. 



Very large and showy bulbs from the Cape of 

 Good Hope, flowering during summer. Their cul- 

 ture is usually confined to the greenhouse or con- 

 servatory, where they require a hot, dry place dur- 

 ing their resting season, from November to May, 

 and a warm, moist temperature with a liberal sup- 

 ply of manure water during their growing season. 

 B. Josephines, with scarlet flowers, is the most 

 showy species, and the one most generally grown. 



BULBOCODIUM. Spring Colchicum. 



Very attractive and desirable bulbous plants of 

 which' B. vernmn is the best known. It is a 

 charming early spring blooming plant with rosy 

 purple flowers coming two weeks before the Cro- 

 cus. It succeeds weil in any good garden soil and 

 should be planted about three inches deep in 

 clumps or masses. A few patches potted up in 

 December and placed in a sunny window or on 

 greenhouse shelves will flower long before Cro- 

 cuses or any other bulbs of similar character or 

 color can be had in flower. Dormant bulbs may 

 be had from September to December. 



