20 



HENDERSON'S BULB CULTURE. 



twelve spikes of bloom. The flowers, which are 

 borne in clusters on tall scapes, are white with a 

 golden yellow centre and deliriously fragrant. 

 The bulbs will bloom in from six to eight weeks' 

 time after planting, and with a few bulbs started 

 at intervals a succession of flowers may be had 

 throughout the winter. To start the bulbs they 

 should be kept in a dark closet or cellar until well 

 rooted, which requires about ten days time, after 

 which they should be placed in a warm, light win- 

 dow and kept daily supplied with water. Dor- 

 mant bulbs may be procured from September to 

 March. 



NEMASTYLIS. 



Half-hardy bulbs, natives of Mexico, and of the 

 Southern United States. They are all of dwarf 

 growth with showy blossoms, which, however, are 

 fugacious, though produced continually. They 

 thrive well planted out in a cold frame in well 

 drained sandy loam, or in a warm border planted 

 out in May and taken up in the fall like Tigridias. 



NERINE. Guernsey Lily. 



A genus of showy bulbous plants, the best known 

 of which N. sarniensis is most useful for flower- 

 ing in the fall months. They should be potted as 

 soon as received, in a light rich sandy loam, and 

 if placed in a window or greenhouse will soon 

 bloom. After flowering, and the leaves appear, 

 they will require more water, heat and light to en- 

 able them to mature the foliage. The bulbs from 

 this stage will be much benefited by weak manure 

 water once or twice a week. Continue this nurtur- 

 ing treatment till the leaves begin to turn yellow, 

 then gradually withhold water and store in a dry 

 cool place when dormant. As soon as fresh growth 

 begins, which may be any time from June to 

 October ; top-dress the pots with good rich sandy 

 soil, and place them in their flowering quarters. 

 Dormant bulbs may be procured from September 

 until January. 



Star of Bethle- 



ORNTTHOGALUM. 

 hem. 



A large genus of which 0. Arabicum is the best 

 known and most largely grown. It is a most 

 beautiful species, bearing on a tall scape a cluster 

 of fifty or over milk-white, star-shaped flowers, 

 with a glistening black blotch in the centre of each 

 and having a distinctly aromatic perfume. It 

 grows best in a rich sandy loam, succeeding ad- 

 mirably in a cold frame or pit, where it may be 

 planted in September or October, about three 

 inches deep by four inches apart. It is now grown 

 largely in pots or boxes for cut flowers, receiving 

 treatment similar to the Hyacinth, and may be 

 had in bloom at any time during winter by being 

 brought into heat at intervals as required. Dor- 

 mant bulbs may be procured from October until 

 May. 



OXALIS. Wood Sorrel. 



Charming little half trailing or bushy plants 

 particularly adapted for pot culture and hanging 

 baskets. The foliage alone is very attractive, and 

 when in flower, they are exceedingly pretty. The 

 pots should be well filled, from six to a dozen 

 bulbs in a five or six inch pot ; for the smaller 

 species three or four inch pots are large enough. 



A good turfy loam with an addition of leaf -mould 

 and sand suits them admirably ; they may be pot- 

 ted at any time during winter and placed near the 

 glass or window to keep them stocky and dwarf. 

 Several of the species as O. Deppei, O. laszan- 

 dra, &c. , are interesting and showy plants for out- 

 door culture, either grown as borders to other 

 plants, or when forming large masses or grown in 

 groups or clumps. The bulbs should be kept quite 

 dry when at rest, as this serves to favor their 

 more abundant blooming. Dormant bulbs may 

 be procured from September until May. 



PjEONIA CHINENSIS. Herbace- 

 ous Paeony. 



Magnificent old garden favorites, producing 

 abundantly, large, bold, perfectly double flowers 

 of rich, varied and pleasing colors. The}'- are in- 

 valuable for borders and shrubberies, and are also 

 extremely useful for cutting. They should be 

 planted in w r ell prepared soil, and in summer, if 

 convenient, give a plentiful supply of liquid man- 

 ure occasionally, to encourage a rapid develop- 

 ment, as the plant is decorative in proportion to 

 its size. Dormant roots can be -procured from 

 October until March. 



PANCRATIUM. Sea Daffodil. 



An extensive genus of hardy and half-hardy 

 plants, several of wdiich are in cultivation. P. 

 \lsmene) calathinum, the Peruvian Sea Daffodil, 

 bears handsome clusters of large, striking, very 

 fragrant, pearly white flowers. The bulbs should 

 be taken up before the first frost, and after being 

 carefully dried should be stored in a warm, dry 

 place for the winter, and planted out again about 

 the ist of May ; they will then commence flower- 

 ing in July. It is also admirably adapted for pot 

 culture, and can be forced into flower, as desired, 

 in six or eight weeks' time. The single flowers 

 last well when cut, and are much used in funeral 

 wreaths and other designs. If whole stems are 

 cut the flowers will continue opening in succession 

 in a cool room for two or three weeks. (This 

 species is often found in cultivation under the 

 name of Ismene Knightii,) Dormant bulbs may- 

 be procured from November to May. 



PENTLANDIA. 



A small genus of very showy greenhouse bulbous 

 plants, with vermillion-colored flowers from Peru. 

 They grow well in a compost of sandy loam and 

 leaf -mould, and may be cultivated successfully in a 

 cold frame or pit, though they are generally grown 

 in pots in the greenhouse, flowering in May and 

 June. 



PILEDRANASSA. aueen Lily. 



A small genus of bulbs with flowers about two 

 inches long, light pea-green in color, tipped with 

 pink, and borne in large clusters on a scape one to 

 two feet in height. The bulbs require a long season 

 of rest after flowering, and should be kept com- 

 paratively dry during the winter months. Being 

 of extremely robust habit they succeed well under 

 good treatment in a cool greenhouse, and soon 

 form well-furnished and valuable specimens suita- 

 ble for adorning the grounds, piazza, etc., during 



