266 THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



Eueomis punctata. — A strong-growing bulb, pushing 

 up a number of long, wavy, strap-shaped leaves, arranged 

 in more or less of a vasiform manner. The flower spike, 

 that reaches a height of 2ft. to 3ft., has the upper half 

 closely packed with small greenish flowers, spotted with 

 brown. It is not showy, but very interesting. There 

 are several kinds, but all are much in the same way. 



Freesias. — These beautiful South African bulbous plants 

 are now general favourites, the flowers being deliciously 

 fragrant. Immense numbers are sent to this country 

 every year from the Channel Islands, Bermuda, and the 

 South of France. Though not the largest, the Channel 

 Island bulbs can be most depended upon to flower well, 



FREESIA REFRACTA ALBA. 



and consequently they are generally preferred to the 

 others. They reach here during the month of August, 

 and should be potted at once, putting eight bulbs in a 

 pot 5 i n. in diameter and a dozen in one of 6in. The 

 compost should consist of two-thirds good loam to one- 

 third leaf mould and a little silver sand. In potting put 

 the bulbs at such a depth that they are covered with 

 about fin. of soil. Place them then in a frame with 

 plenty ot air, this protection being only necessary to 

 ward off heavy rains. The soil must be kept slightly 

 moist till the plants make their appearance, after which 

 it may be increased, but an excess of moisture must lie 

 avoided in all stages. As autumn advances the plants 

 must be taken into the greenhouse, choosing as light and 

 airy a position as possible for them. Plants so treated will 

 bloom about March, but with more heat they can be had 

 in flower earlier, though the blossoms have not so much 

 substance as those that develop in the greenhouse. After 

 the flowering period is over the plants must be regularly 

 watered tili the foliage shows signs of decay, when water 

 should be gradually withheld, and the pots stood on a 

 shelf in order to thoroughly ripen the bulbs. They must 

 then be kept quite dry, and about the end of July or early 

 ■ ■1 August turned out of their pots and the bulbs sorted 

 over, when they may be potted in the way described. The 

 variety generally grown is known as F. refracta alba, but 

 there is little or no difference between this and the typic d 

 F. refracta, while F. Leichtlini is yellowish ; but these 

 characters are very variable. 

 Gladiolus. — The section of Gladiolus known as early 

 flowering, which are characterised by dwarf habit and 



great profusion of bloom, as well as the delicate 

 marking of the blossoms, are extremely valuable for 

 greenhouse decoration. Half-a-dozen bulbs in a 6in pot, 

 or larger if needed, will form effective displays. They 

 should be potted in the autumn, placed in a frame, and 

 when well rooted removed to the greenhouse. The best 

 varieties are : Adonis, orange scarlet, blotched white ; 

 Colvillei, rosy purple ; Colvillei alba, known also as 

 The Bride, pure white ; Delicatissima, white, blotched 

 crimson ; Duke of Albany, purplish scarlet ; Emperor 

 William, brilliant scarlet, blotched white ; Fairy Queen, 

 blush, blotched crimson ; Mary Anderson, blush, marked 

 with lemon and red ; Prince Albert, salmon scarlet, 

 blotched white ; Princess Royal, salmon rose, white 

 blotch ; Queen Victoria, deep red, marked white ; Rosy 

 Gem, rose, marked blush. 



Haemanthus {Blood-flowers). — A showy class of South 

 African bulbs that need a season of absolute rest to flower 

 them well. Some members of the genus require more heat 

 than that of a greenhouse for their successful culture, the 

 best of those that will succeed in this structure being 

 H. albiflos, white ; H. coccineus, scarlet ; H. insignis, 

 orange scarlet ; and H. tigrinus, crimson. 



Hippeastrum.— Set Amaryllis. 



HyacintllUS {the Hyacinth). — Though perfectly hardy, 

 the Hyacinth is grown for the embellishment of the 

 greenhouse during the early spring months. The bulbs 

 which reach this country early in the autumn should be 

 potted in a mixture of one-third each of loam, leaf mould, 

 and well-decayed manure, with a little sand, and at such 

 a depth that the upper part cf the bulb is Jin. below the 



HYACINTHS. 



surface of the soil. Good bulbs are best potted singly 

 in pots 5m. in diameter, though grouping of various kinds 

 in pots, pans, or boxes may be indulged in. After the 

 bulbs are potted they should be stood on a bed of ashes in 

 the open ground, and a thorough watering given to them. 

 Then the whole of the pots must be covered to a depth of 

 2in. with ashes or cocoa-nut refuse, in which they can 

 remain till well rooted, being examined occasionally to 

 ascertain their rate of progress. When the young leaves 

 break through the soil this covering must be removed, and 

 the pots taken into a cold frame or warmer structure, 

 according to the time they are required to flower. The 

 miniature pure white Roman Hyacinths grown in Italy 



