270 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



as soon as the plants are growing freely more water 

 should be given. When the flower spikes appear weak 

 liquid manure will be helpful. 



Those who have no forcing pit may grow the Pearl 

 equally as well in a greenhouse teu-ipeiature, or even in a 

 sunny window, and the later-potted bulbs in May will 

 succeed plunged in cocoa-nut fibre refuse in the open air. 

 Remove them indoors when the flowers appear. Any 

 soil that will grow other bulbs mav be used for Tuberoses. 

 A very good mixture consists of half loam and the other 

 portion old cow manure and leaf mould freely mixed with 

 sharp silver sand. As soon as the bulbs arrive, the first 

 batch, according to requirements, should be potted, one 

 Iralb in a 5in. pot or three bulbs in each 6in. pot. Drain 

 the puis well, and bury the bulbs to the neck in the soil, 

 which should be pressed down firmly. Remove before 

 potting all offsets which grow out round the bulbs, as if 

 left they weaken the main leaves and flowers. Until 

 growth begins plunge the pots under the stage in the 

 greenhouse, and bring them to the light as soon as growth 

 commences. II early flowers are required, plunge the 

 hulbs in a hot-bed ; but they will bloom as well in the 

 greenhouse, only, of course, not so quickly. Pot a few 

 every month to obtain a succession of flowers throughout 

 the season. The last potting may take place in May, and 

 iff bulbs be grown under quite cool treatment. Indeed, 

 Tuberoses may be hastened into flower or retarded as 

 desired Put a neat slick to each spike and grow the 

 plants in a light position. After flowering throw the 

 I ml I is away, as they are of no further use for another year, 

 and they are very cheap, especially if purchased by the 

 hundred. If large specimens are required for the con- 

 servatory, pot first into what are called large-sized pots, 

 ami when the spikes appear a few inches above the 

 leaves make up the specimens by placing five or more 

 in 7 i 11. or larger pots, according to requirements. It is 

 nei essary to start them in this way, so as to get the plants 

 in flower at the same time. It need scarcely be remarked 

 that the flowers are useful in particular for bouquets and 

 choice decorations, but their perfume is too fulsome when 

 the\' are used in quantity upon the table. 

 Tlllipa {the Tulip). — Immense numbers of Tulips are sent 

 here from Holland, and they are largely employed both 

 for bedding out and for greenhouse decoration. For the 

 latter purpose they may be treated much as recommended 

 in the case of Hyacinths, except that about half-a-dozen 

 bulbs should be put in one pot. A selection of the best 

 varieties is as follows : Due Van Thol in its different 

 coloured forms, all of which are dwarf and flower very early ; 



Belle Alliance, scarlet ; Bride of Haarlem, white, flaked 

 crimson ; Canary Bird, yellow ; Cottage Maid, pink, 

 marked white ; Duchesse de Parma, orange red, margined 

 yellow ; Dussart, crimson ; Grand Duchess, white ; 

 Keizer Kroon, scarlet, edged yellow ; King of the 

 Yellows, deep yellow ; La Tendresse, rose ; LTm 

 maculee, pure white ; Pottebakker, scarlet, white, and 

 yellow ; Queen of the Netherlands, rose ; Queen of the 

 Violets, light purple ; Roi Pepin, white, flaked crimson ; 

 Rose Grisdelin, pink and white ; Scarlet Beauty, scarlet ; 

 Thomas Moore, orange ; Van der Neer, purplish violet ; 

 White Swan, pure white. 



All the above are single, the following being double 

 flowers : Duke of York, rose, edged white ; Imperator 

 Rubrorum, scarlet-crimson ; La Precoce, white ; Murillo, 

 rose ; Princess Alexandra, red, edged yellow ; Raphael, 

 rose ; Tournesol, red and yellow ; Velvet Gem, bronzy 

 crimson. 



Urceolina aurea, also known as U. pendula. A pretty 

 bulbous plant from the Andean regions of South America. 

 The leaves are heart-shaped, while the flower stem, which 

 reaches a height of i8in., is terminated by an umbel of 

 drooping, urn-shaped blossoms. These blooms are about 

 2in. long, distinctly marked with yellow and green, and 

 of a thick wax-like texture. Flowers in the summer and 

 autum n. 



VallOta purpurea ^Scarborough Lily). — When in full 

 flower — that is, in August and September — this South 

 African bulb is one of the showiest features in the green- 

 house. The large reddish scarlet flowers are borne in 

 good-sized umbels, and as established masses soon push 

 up several spikes a brilliant show is obtained. After 

 flowering, the growth is perfected, and when this is 

 finished the soil should be kept moderately dry, but no 

 absolute rest must be given. Established plants will 

 stand for years without repotting and flower ad the better 

 for it. 



WatSOnia. — A genus of bulbous plants much resembling 

 some forms of Gladiolus, and needing much the same 

 treatment. The most notable are : W. angusta, orange 

 scarlet ; VV. humilis, rose ; W. marginata, pink ; 

 W. O'Brieni, white. They will succeed out of doors in 

 warm soils and sheltered positions. 



Zephyranthes. — Some of these are difficult to grow, but 

 two species are valuable for the embellishment of the 

 greenhouse. They are : Z. Candida, white, flowers in 

 August, and Z. carinata, rose, in June. Both should be 

 grouped in pots or pans, r>~d once established seldom 

 need repotting. 



THE MANOR HOUSE, GREAT TANGLEY, SURREY. 



