HENDERSON'S BULB CULTURE. 



15 



is singularly marked and soft as velvet, and also 

 for their long spikes of brilliant colored flowers, 

 mostly scarlet and yellow. They require a light, 

 rich soil, a moist atmosphere with a temperature 

 of 65 degrees rising to 80 degrees with sun heat, 

 partial shade in bright weather, and a liberal sup- 

 ply of water when in a growing state. Like the 

 Gloxinia, they are impatient of water overhead, 

 which has a tendency to make them become rusty 

 and to rot off the leaves and flowers in dull 

 weather. For the purpose of having a continuous 

 succession of bloom, the plants should be started 

 at three different times, say the early part of 

 April, May and June, a sufficient number of tubers 

 being put in on each occasion to furnish the plants 

 required for the period. Those started into growth 

 first will come into bloom by the end of Septem- 

 ber, and the others will follow in succession 

 through winter and spring. When finished flow- 

 ering, dry off gradually and store in a warm dry 

 place until wanted for the following season. 



GLADIOLUS. Sword Lily. 



This extensive genus is now amongst the most 

 popular of out-door summer and autumn flowering 

 bulbous plants. They are remarkable for their 

 ease of culture, grace of habit, and for the beauty 

 and intense coloring of the flowers, varying from 

 the most brilliant scarlet to pure white, and from 

 clear rose to pure yellow and bright purple. They 

 may be planted as early in the spring as the 

 ground can be got in order, and successive plant- 

 ings every two weeks may be made till the 1st of 

 July, which will give a succession of fresh spikes 

 of flowers up till frost. It is now also a common 

 practice with florists to reserve Gladiolus bulbs un- 

 til August, which are then planted in rich soil in 

 boxes four or five inches deep. The boxes are 

 kept out of doors until frost, when they are placed 

 in a cool greenhouse where they flower from No- 

 vember to January, at a time when they command 

 good prices. A number of the early flowering 

 sorts are also forced for early spring, many 

 finding them a profitable crop, as they take up but 

 little room. Large, sound, well-matured bulbs 

 only should be used for this purpose. Start the 

 bulbs in lour inch pots, and when well rooted re- 

 pot into six inch pots. Use good, fresh loam with 

 at least one-third well rotted manure, giving them 

 careful attention as to watering, etc. Do not start 

 the bulbs the first year of forcing till about the 

 1st of January, and after they have flowered, ripen 

 them off gradually, and they may beagainstarted 

 in August or September for early flowers the fol- 

 lowing season. The splendid race of hybrid 

 hardy Gladioluses differ from all others by char- 

 acters so marked and varied as to form a distinct 

 section, their chief characteristic being the pres- 

 ence of a large yellow blotch surrounding a maroon 

 spot on the lower segments of the flower. They 

 are of robust and vigorous growth and quite 

 hardy, though like all other bulbous plants they 

 are the better of protection during winter. The 

 spikes are frequently branched, thereby adding 

 greatly to their effect. Dormant bulbs may be 

 procured from November to May. 



GLOEIOSA. 



Very handsome climbing greenhouse plants, 

 with Lily-like flowers, bright yellow or orange in 

 color, thriving well in a compost of loam, leaf- 

 mould, and sand. They should be started into 

 growth in spring, and will require to be supported 



with sticks or trellises. They bloom in June and 

 July, and should be kept perfectly dry and warm 

 during the resting season. 



GLOXINIA. 



Most charming greenhouse tuberous-rooted 

 plants, of dwarf habit, producing their large and 

 splendid flowers of almost every shade of color in 

 the greatest abundance, and if started into growth 

 at intervals, a succession of flower may be had 

 nearly the whole year round. They succeed best 

 in a compost of loam, leaf-mould and sand, and 

 from the time they are started into growth should 

 be kept as close to the glass as possible, only having 

 sufficient shading to prevent the bright rays of the 

 sun from scorching the leaves. They enjoy a 

 moist atmosphere and a rather high temperature 

 during the early stages of their growth, care being 

 taken however not to water them overhead, as 

 thjs rots the leaves and flowers or causes them to 

 become rusty and disfigured. As soon as they be- 

 gin to bloom, if brought into a cool house the 

 flowers will be of greater substance and last much 

 longer than when developed in a shady moist 

 place. They are also exceedingly useful if plan- 

 ted out in a warm frame and shaded from the 

 bright sun, for growing for cut flowers during the 

 summer months. When done flowering they should 

 be dried off gradually and stored in dry sand in a 

 warm dry place for the winter. Dormant tubers 

 may be procured from September to May. 



HJEMANTHTJS. Blood Flower. 



Few plants are more singular in character, or 

 possess a more striking contrast to all others in 

 cultivation than the Hasmanthus. The flowers are 

 brilliant in color, novel in arrangement, last a 

 long time, and, in most of the species, the foliage 

 striking and curiously marked. A mixture of 

 sandy loam and peat, or leaf-mould, suits these 

 plants best, and they flower most freely when 

 under-potted. They succeed well in a warm pit 

 or conservatory, where a temperature of from 

 50 to 60 degrees may be commanded during 

 their growing season, to be followed by a lower 

 temperature during their resting period. 



HELLEBORUS. Christmas Rose. 



A most interesting class of hardy plants, grow- 

 ing freely in almost any situation, flowering in 

 great profusion in early spring, and which, if 

 grown in the house, or in frames, will bloom from 

 December all through the winter months. The 

 flowers are two to three inches in diameter, and 

 range through all shades of white, red, rose and 

 purple, while some are shaded and spotted with 

 other colors. H. niger, the true Christmas rose, 

 is the favorite for greenhouse culture as it pro- 

 duces its pure white waxy flowers in profusion for 

 the holidays, They should be planted in well 

 prepared and manured ground, and receive during 

 the growing season a little liquid manure occasion- 

 ally, as upon the size and substance of the leaf 

 will depend the size and quantity of the flowers. 

 Strong clumps may be procured from November 

 to March. 



HEMEROCALLIS. Day Lily. 



Valuable border plants having elegant foliage 

 and handsome flowers, varying from orange to 

 clear yellow. The flowers open consecutively, 

 and each one remains in perfection for little more 



