382 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



late season, showed colour at the end of July. After the beds have 

 been made somewhat smooth with a fork (I never use a rake if 

 it can be helped), the rows are drawn about five inches deep and 

 about one foot apart. The bulbs are then prepared. The outer coat 

 is taken off, when it will be seen that there are generally two- 

 eyes. I then, with a sharp knife, cut the bulb in two, leaving 

 an eye to each half. I place round each bulb some rough 

 powdered charcoal or charred vegetable refuse, planting them about 

 five inches apart. Some growers allow more — a foot ; so probably 

 should I if I were not circumscribed as to room. But as the roots 

 do not spread, but go down straight from the bulb, I do not 

 think this is a matter of much consequence, and I am convinced 

 that I have had as good flowers from those planted closely as 

 when planted a foot apart. When the bed is planted the rows 

 are then filled in, and the whole smoothed with a light fork. 

 They will now require but little attention for some weeks. The 

 beds must be kept clear of weeds, but in all other respects they 

 will take care of themselves. In the month of July they will 

 begin to show their flowering stems, and it will then be necessary 

 to see about the staking. When flowers are grown for exhibition 

 this is an absolute necessity, and where it can be done each one 

 should be staked separately, to keep the spike straight and to 

 prevent its being injured by the wind. When it is not required 

 to be so particular a couple of stakes may be placed at each end 

 of the row, and a wire or strong piece of cord stretched along, to 

 which the stems may be fastened, but to stake them singly is by 

 far the best plan. 



Some growers mulch their beds. I have tried both plans, 

 and have come to the conclusion that, except in a very dry 

 season, it is unnecessary. Artificial manures and nitrate of 

 soda and muriate of potash have also been used, but the bene- 

 ficial results are not, I think, very perceptible. 



Leaving the grower to enjoy his stately blooms, let me now 

 say something about harvesting the bulbs. After the flowering 

 season they begin to dry off, and towards the end of October or 

 beginning of November many of them will be fit to take up. 

 As I do not care to save the seed, I cut off the flower-stems as 

 soon as they have bloomed, take away the stakes, and then, as 

 they show symptoms of ripening, take them up. The best place 

 in which to dry them off is a cool vinery out of the sun, where 



