(5—- «CL 



16 



Che ^mkux's llonthlj. 



PHILADELPHIA, JANUARY, 1867. 



^13=- All Communications for the Editor should be addressed, 

 "TnoMAs Meehan, Germantown, Philadelphia," and Business Let. 

 ters directed to "W. G. P. Brinckloe, Box Philadelphia." 



For Terms of Subscription see second page of cover. 



For Terms of Advertising see page 33. 



Volumes 1, $1 ; 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 7 and 8 unbound, $2 each. 



CULTURE OP THE TUBEROSE. 



On reading Mr. Rand's new book on Bulbs, we 

 infer that he is of the opinion that the Tuberose 

 cannot be grown in the open air. This may be 

 true of the vicinity of Boston, where we suppose 

 Mr. Rand's observations were chiefly made ; but in 

 most part of the United States it is one of the most 

 favorite and most useful of open-border flowers, 

 and it is not at all necessary to grow them in pots 

 in hotbeds, keeping them there till they are in 

 flower, as Mr. Rand recommends. 



In a recent review of Mr. Breck's book, where 

 similar treatment is recommended, we took occa- 

 sion to express regret that this chapter had not 

 been modernized in the new edition, — but as Mr. 

 R. repeats it in substance we suppose it must be 

 the regular Boston practice, — we therefore in view 

 of the sale which so useful a book as Mr. Rand's will 

 no doubt have, have thought it necessary to write out 

 a chapter on Tuberose treatment, such as is not to 

 be found in any of the books. 



Although called "Tuberose," the plant is rather 

 of the bulbous than the tuberous class, though Mr. 

 Rand, by the way, objects to the term bulbous, and 

 classes it with tuber-bearing ones, which are pro- 

 perly those which bear tubers at the ends of under- 

 ground stems, which the Tuberose has not, — and 

 while we are in the humor for making corrections, 

 we may as well add that Mr. Rand is also most 

 probably in error in giving the "East Indies" as 

 its native place of growth. We showed some years 

 ago that it was, in all likelihood, a native of this 

 continent, and Dr. Asa Grray subsequently gave ad- 

 ditional reasons confirming the suggestion. 



It was at one time supposed that Tuberoses to 

 be good must be imported from Italy, — but the 

 best bulbs are now those grown in the United States. 

 Around Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore and 

 all large cities where light, rich soil is to be had, 

 they are grown in large quantities and remarkably 

 fine. Those from around New York are often 

 mixed, the single with the double ; the double one 



having most probably returned to its original single 

 form, an occurrence not unusual with double flowers, 

 but it is remarkable that the single ones have leaves 

 of a more glaucous color than the double ones, by 

 which they can readily be distinguished when they 

 once begin to grow. 



The prettiest way of growing Tuberoses is in beds 

 mixed with a few other things that will give a suc- 

 cession of flowers from early Spring until frost. 

 But as many Tuberoses do not flower it is useful to 

 know how to select those that will flower from those 

 that will not, or the bed will be unequally" balanced' ' 

 when the flowering time comes round. This is 

 done by examining the bulbs before planting out, 

 and choosing those which have the points twisted 

 up like a good segar ; which point, when pinched 

 off* as the smoker does his segar befor using, is found 

 to have a green core. Those which have a blunt 

 point, and a sort of hcllowness, with brown centres, 

 will not bloom. 



A dark colored sandy soil is the best for the 

 Tuberose, and the best manure, two year old cow 

 dung, — but all flowers hke this as well as the 

 Tuberose ; where this is not at hand any rich earth 

 will grow good Tuberoses. 



The best form for a bed of Tuberoses is the 

 circular one. For some reason which we cannot 

 explain, they do not look near as well any other 

 way. In this bed, plant them one to every square 

 foot. The author of "Bulbs" has found them to 

 do best by having the points kept above the soil, — 

 but in the central and southern States they will be 

 found to do better put two inches under ground, 

 than nearer the surface. Between the spaces plant 

 good strong bulbs of Grladiolus Brenchleyensis, and 

 then the bed set full of scailet Verbenas, with a 

 circle of white Sweet Alyssum around the whole. 

 A bed of this kind is better set in grass than any 

 other way. The white Sweet Alyssum must be 

 carefully looked after, as in the absence of that, 

 there will be not sufficient contrast between the 

 color of Glsdiolus and the Yerbena. The Gladio- 

 luses (we do not like tjie term Gladioli, except 

 when writing Botanical Latin. It is mere aff"ectation. 

 We may as well say Bulbocodia, Croci and so on, 

 instead of Bulbocodiums, Crocuses and the hke),— 

 the Gladioluses will flower in July and August, and 

 as soon as they are done the Tuberoses (not Tuhc- 

 rosoe) will follow till frost. Both Gladioluses and 

 Tuberoses will push through the Verbenas without 

 receiving any check. 



As soon as the first white frost blackens the leaves, 

 take up the Tuberoses, dry them a little, then cut 

 down the dried leaves to the bulbs, — and stow away 



