34 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of the bulb's cycle of life being the determining cause — hence the 

 necessity of a thorough ripening in a warm, sunny, perfectly dry 

 place, and a genial atmosphere, say one of 50 0 , at nights when the 

 bulbs are starting a new year's growth in August and September. 

 One thing seems pretty certain, the old refracta, refracta alba, and 

 Leichtlinii are less liable to produce " duds " than the newer additions 

 to the family. It seems that the Freesia is not the only South 

 African bulb that displays this aggravating habit — Lachenalia aurea 

 is a great sinner in this respect. Hence, with regard to Freesias, 

 you can pot the bulbs, but you have to " wait and see " what will 

 happen. You know the old proverb about taking the horse to the 

 water, but not being able to make him drink. One could invent a 

 saying on all fours with it about Freesias — something like this : 

 " You can pot a Freesia, but you can't make it grow." 



Cultivation. — The year begins in mid-August. St. Grouse's Day 

 (the 1 2th) is an ideal date on which to begin to pot the bulbs. All 

 bulbs should be got in then or as soon after this date as possible, 

 whether the flowers are wanted early or late. The difference had 

 better be made by leaving some a longer time than others in the 

 cold but perfectly frost-proof frame before bringing them into a 

 very gentle heat. In this way I have had Freesias in bloom from 

 January until April — a fairly long season, but one which might be 

 extended by potting in July and bringing them on rather quicker 

 than the others. Flowers may then be had at Christmas. Any 

 good light porous soil which, has been enriched by good old farmyard 

 manure in the proportion of 1 to 4, and to which a good quantity of 

 coarse sharp sand to keep the mixture open has been added, will be 

 quite suitable. When growth is starting a slight heat is beneficial 

 in case of the newer-coloured varieties at the start, but with regard 

 to the older rejracta, refracta alba, and Leichtlinii ones it does not 

 seem to matter. Very little water is necessary until the flower 

 spikes begin to shoot up, and the pots are in a genial greenhouse 

 temperature. They require a good deal then ; and at least once a 

 week a drink of an artificial of some kind like " Clay's " is very 

 beneficial. This feeding should be continued until the leaves have 

 partly turned brown, when all water must be withheld and the pots 

 stored in a sunny, dry place until the bulbs are shaken out and 

 graded. 



During December, January, and February a night temperature 

 of from 45 0 to 50 0 Fahr. should be aimed at. Staking should be done 

 in good time, so as to keep the stems upright and straight. 



Raising New Varieties. — It is necessary, particularly until the end 

 of February, to hand-fertilize all flowers from which seed is wanted. 

 It is best to sow it in August, in six- or seven-inch pots, each seed 

 being half an inch apart from its nearest neighbours. The pots 

 should be placed in gentle heat from the start, and the young seed- 

 lings which will appear in a few weeks' time should be carefully 

 grown on in a rather wanner temperature than that which suits the 



