BULBS FOR THE GREENHOUSE. 



265 



Jin. deep of the same compost. Tlaced in a cool part 

 of the stove or the warmest part of the greenhouse, the 

 young plants will soon push their grass-like leaves above 

 the soil, and may be sufficiently advanced to put singly 

 into small pots early in the autumn. If, however, they 

 are not large enough at that period it is best to leave them 

 undisturbed till the spring. In potting the same compost 

 as that recommended for sowing the seed may be used. 

 Kept in a greenhouse, or during the summer in a frame, the 

 young plants will grow freely, and when strong enough 

 must be put in larger pots, at which time the soil need not 

 be sifted. During the first winter the plants should only 

 be kept moderately dry, not sufficient to cause the leaves 

 to die off, but when larger they must pass the winter in a 

 totally dormant state. The most vigorous bulbs may flower 

 in about two and a-half years from sowing the seed, and 

 the majority of them the following season. Pots from 

 5in. to 7in. in diameter are the most suitable size in which 

 to flower these different forms of Amaryllis. After the 

 period of blooming is over the plants must, as before, be 

 regularly supplied with water in order to develop the 

 foliage, and this should be kept up till the leaves show 

 signs of dying off, when the water supply must be 

 gradually diminished, and by autumn discontinued 

 altogether. Kept during the winter on a shell or some 

 similar position in the greenhouse, they should quite early 

 in the new year be shaken out of their old soil, and 

 repotted, placing the bulbs at such a depth that they are 

 about two-thirds covered with soil. Then given a tem- 

 perature somewhat higher than that of an ordinary green- 

 house they will soon flower, but if kept to this last-named 

 structure they do not bloom till about April. There are 

 many named varieties which must be propagated by divi- 

 sion, but the raising of seedlings is the usual method of in- 

 creasing these hybrid forms of Amaryllis. The colours of the 

 hybrid Amaryllis or Ilippeastrum are very varied — crimson, 

 rose, and innumerable shades. A splendid race indeed. 

 AllOmatheea eruenta. — A pretty little South African 

 bulbous plant with branching flower spike that well overtops 

 the tender green sword-shaped leaves, the whole being 

 not more than ift. high. The flowers, which are nearly 

 tin. across, are of a carmine red, blotched with a deeper 

 lint. It is readily increased by division of the bulbs (which 

 are no bigger than a large Pea), or by seed ; that sown 

 early in the spring will produce seedlings that will flower 

 the same year, towards the end of the summer. Grown in 

 masses in pots or pans this Anomatheca is very attractive, 

 while in a sheltered border it will do well out of doors. 



Antholyza aethiopiea. — An iris-like plant with 



branching spikes of blossoms somewhat after the manner 

 of a small Gladiolus, but scarlet and green in colour. It 

 reaches a height of 3ft. to 4ft., flowers in the summer, 

 and should be kept dry during the winter, and potted 

 early in the year. 

 Babiana. — A pretty race of plants natives of South Africa, 

 with Crocus-like bulbs, and spikes of bright-coloured 

 blossoms, usually at their best in May and June. The 

 flowers, which are nearly 2in. in diameter, are in most 

 varieties of a purplish shade. Babianas are largely grown 

 in the Channel Islands, and are sold at a very cheap rate, 

 reaching here during the autumn months. The bulbs 

 should be potted as soon as possible in a well-drained soil 

 consisting of equal parts of loam and leaf mould, wilh a 

 liberal admixture of sand. About six bulbs in a pot 5in. in 

 diameter will make an effective specimen. After potting 

 they may be kept in a frame for a time, being on the 

 approach of severe weather taken into the greenhouse. A 

 selection of the best would include : Alro-cyanea, purplish 

 blue ; plicata, violet, marked yellow ; purpurea, purple ; 

 rubro-cyanea, red and blue; sambucina, white, wilh 

 purple spots ; and stricta, purplish blue. Babianas in 

 many gardens may be grown in warm borders out of 

 doors. 



EranSVigia Josephinse. — A large bulb with strap- 

 shaped leaves. It pushes up a stout spike iyd. or so 

 in height, crowned by a massive head of bright crimson 

 Amaryllis-like blossoms. It is a native of South Africa, 

 where several other species are found, but this is the only 



kind worth general cultivation. The treatment recom- 

 mende 1 for Amaryllis will suit this. 



Chionodoxas. — C. LuciUse, C. grandi flora, and C. snr- 

 densis are all pretty little early-flowering spring bulbs, 

 that make the outdoor garden gay with their pleasing 

 blue blossoms, while if potted in the autumn, putting 

 eight or ten bulbs in a 5 - i n. pot, standing them out of 

 doors till bad weather sets in, and then taking them into 

 the greenhouse, they will flower there quite early in the 

 year, thus anticipating their usual flowering season bya con- 

 siderable period, and at that time they are much admired. 



Convallaria majaliS is the universally grown Lily of 

 the Valley, that, though scarcely a bulb, and perfectly 

 hardy, is so much employed for greenhouse decoration 

 that it is entitled to a place here. There is now such a 

 demand for it that some of the extensive cultivaiors keep 

 enormous quantities of the flowering crowns in large 

 refrigerators, so that they remain dormant long after the 

 period at which they would have flowered out of doors. 

 Thus bv retarding some an 1 forcing others, Lily of the 

 Valley flowers may be had throughout the year. For 

 early forcing the German-grown roots, known as Berlin 

 Crowns, should be employed, and when potted they must 

 be plunged in a bottom heat of about 75deg. , with a 

 cone-ponding top temperature. The crowns, which 

 may be allowed to protrude about J.in. out of the soil, 

 must be covered with moss or cocoa-nut refuse, in order 

 to keep them in an even state of moisture, which greatly 

 assists the forcing process. In this way they may be 

 had in bloom about Christmas, and as the reason 

 advances the flowers develop with much less trouble. 

 In the case of retarded crowns all that need be done is 

 to pot them, give plenty of water, and gradually inure 

 to the light. 



Cpintim. — An extensive family of large-growing bulbous 

 plants, a few of which are hardy, while many require the 

 temperature of the stove. The greenhouse kinds are : 

 C. Moorei, huge club-shaped bulbs, and heads of large 

 blush-tmled blossoms borne in August. C. Powelli, a 

 hybrid with deeper-coloured flowers than the preceding. 

 The variety alba is white. These Crinums may be grown 

 in pots, tubs, or planted out, but in any case they should 

 not be disturbed at the roots more than is absolutely 

 necessary. 



CrOGOSmia imperialiS.— The sword shaped leaves of 

 this are erect in growth, while the branching spike 

 reaches a height of about Iyd. The flowers, which are 

 over 2in. in diameter, are of a deep brilliant orange tint, 

 thus rendering it about July one of the most noticeable 

 plants in the greenhouse. The bulbs should be potted 

 soon after Christmas, taking care not to injure the long 

 underground stems that this Crocosmia produces. It is 

 a native of South Africa, and is at present not grown so 

 much as it deserves to be. 



CyrtanthUS. — A useful class of plants that will flower 

 freely under much the same conditions as a Pelargonium. 

 They are all small growers (reaching a height of about 

 1 ft.), except C. obliquus, which is three times that size. 

 The bulbs are about as big as a Snowdrop, and should be 

 grouped in well-drained pots or pans. They are soon 

 increased by means of offsets, but will keep in good health 

 and flower freely even when the bulbs are closely packed 

 together. The foliage is evergreen, and the plants should 

 at no time of the year be subject to the drying off 

 process. The small-growing kinds flower early in the 

 spring, and again at midsummer, or soon after. A 

 selection of the best would include : C. angustifolius ; the 

 tubular-shaped blossoms of this are of an orange red 

 colour, and borne, several together, on a stem about lit. 

 high. C. lutescens, like the last, but with pale yellow 

 flowers. C. Macowani, in the same way, but the flowers 

 are crimson. C. M'Keni, pure white, in shape like the 

 last. C obliquus, a large bulb, agood specimen of which 

 will need a pot at least bin in diameter; the flowers, 

 w hich are borne in an umbel on the upper part of a stem 

 iyd. high, are about 3m. long, tubular in shape, of a 

 wax-like texture, and curiously marked with yellow, red, 

 and green, 



