XCbe XiUee of the jfielb, 



POTTED FOR THE HOUSE. 



September and October are the months when we may 

 do a good deal of work among bulbs, both outdoors and 

 inside. The latter month is the time for planting many 

 bulbs for house or conservatory, and this class of plants 

 can be so heartily commended for indoor culture, that 

 every amateur may indulge in them. Although we most 

 frequently see tulips or hyacinths in the house, there are 

 many other charming bulbs which may be used here. 

 One of the most attractive is the freesia, which has 

 been grown very extensively by the trade for several 

 years past. Like many of the loveliest small bulbous 

 plants, it is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. The 

 flowers are tubular and pure white, with a yellow blotch 

 on the lower petal. They are extremely fragrant, and are 

 borne on a long scape, the blooms erect. The bulbs 

 should be planted in October in a light soil, kept in a 

 shady place and given a moderate supply of water. 

 When they are well started put them in a sunny window 

 and water them freely. After flowering the bulbs are 

 dried out and put away until time for planting again. 

 The freesia is a very useful bulb for a retail florist who 

 grows his own flowers. It is admirable for cutting, and 

 has been much in vogue. 



Another Cape-bulb that is thoroughly satisfactory in 

 the house is the ixia ; it is very pretty, and not at all 

 common ; the flowers are freely produced in spikes, and 

 are very showy. Ixia craleroidcs is perhaps the most 

 showy, being a vivid scarlet, while the mixed varieties 

 will give us differing shades of red, orange, yellow and 

 white. They are useful flowers for cutting. The bulbs 

 should be planted in October, in a sandy soil, about an 

 inch below the surface. They should then be put in a 

 cool cellar, covered from the light, and watered but little 

 until flower-spikes show. Then bring them to the light, 

 giving plenty of sunshine and water. After flowering 

 they should be treated like the freesia. 



The lachenalia is another bulb admirable for winter- 

 flowering. It is quite uncommon and attractive. This 

 plant has thick spotted leaves and erect flower-stems 

 bearing a raceme of pendant flowers. There is a long 

 list of varieties, all of which are natives of the Cape of 

 Good Hope, excepting one variety from Persia. The 

 bulbs may be potted in September, preferably in peat 

 and sand, and left outside until frost They bloom 

 freely during the winter, and bear forcing well. They 

 should receive little or no water when not in a growing 

 state. For some years pas'- there has been a growing 

 taste for pot-lilies, confined almos' entirely to the white 



varieties, which are all classed comprehensively as 

 Easter lilies. The quantity of these plants sold in pots 

 about Easter is almost incredible ; they find their way 

 amongst all classes, rich and poor alike, and year by 

 year we note an increase in the number of amateur 

 growers who try their culture. A visit to one of the 

 great lily-growers is a rare treat ; the thousands of state- 

 ly plants, each topped by a snowy crown of flowers, 

 present one of the most beautiful sights the greenhouse 

 affords. There is no secret in lily-culture ; select good 

 plump, juicy-looking bulbs, that give one the assurance 

 of freshness, and plant them in September or October — 

 not later. The best soil is a mixture of loam and peat, 

 with a little powdered charcoal and fine sand. Abun- 

 dant drainage should be provided. The bulbs are large, 

 and produce a quantity of roots, so that a large pot is 

 needed — a ten-inch size being suitable. The bulbs 

 should be planted about -two-inches below the surface. 

 The pots are usually put in a frame, and well covered 

 with leaves or ashes, to protect the bulbs from both frost 

 and light. When young shoots appear the pots may 

 be brought into the light, and forcing proceed. Before 

 the plant begins to make growth above ground it requires 

 very little water. The lily does not require any sort of 

 stimulant, except when it is just about to flower. The 

 favorite Easter lily at the present time is L. Ilarrisii, 

 the Bermuda variety. It differs but little from L. lo>igi- 

 florum, but is considered better for early forcing. 



The old-fashioned Madonna lily, /,. cconiidmn, is 

 excellent for forcing ; it produces a quantity of snowy 

 flowers on each stem, and is a very free bloomer. This 

 is also an excellent variety for outdoor culture because 

 it is so thoroughly hardy. It may be seen sometimes in 

 old gardens, forming a perfect forest of whiteness, it 

 should be planted in September or October, and is not 

 at all particular as to its location ; any ordinary garden 

 soil seems satisfactory. This is a very old variety, hav- 

 ing been introduced from the Levant in the sixteenth 

 century. It appears in many paintings of the Madonna, 

 especially those of the Italian school, hence its popular 

 name. The Madonna lily is profusely grown in Europe, 

 being the chief feature in many cottage gardens, and 

 here we frequently see it in old country places. It is not 

 to be despised by the florist for cutting purposes. 



Another lily excellent for forcing, which will brighten 

 up a place wonderfully, is L tcuiti/oh'um , sometimes 

 called the Coral lily. It only grows about eighteen 

 inches high, the stem being very slender, but it bears a 



