Culture of Calochorti and Brodiaeas. 
The culture of these bulbs in such a climate as that ot California, w here 
15 degrees above zero marks the lowest degree of cold is the easiest 
malter possible. They only need loose loamy soil and perfect drainage. 
I have had the best success as follows. Make large boxes of two inch 
plank, ten inches deep. In the bottom place two or three inches of good 
drainage material, such as gravel or broken brick. Fill up with a 
light loose soil, sandy loam is good, a mixture of leaf or chip mold is 
better, but I have had the best results with about x / z loam to>< spent tan 
bark, half ratted. Note the soil recommended below. All of the bulbs 
will do better with a light shade. Erythroniums must have a shady 
place. An excellent shade can be made with narrow laths or slats 
nailed on a light framework. Calochorti and Brodiaeas should 
be planted one or two inches deep, and will thrive one and a 
half inches apart. When the bulbs are in and covered, it will be 
found that half an inch of sharp sand will save much weeding. In such a 
bed the bulbs are safe from gophers and moles. It is better to plant where 
they will be shaded a part of tbe day. If it is desired to grow in pots or 
pans, use similar soil and be careful to give good drainage. The pots can 
be plunged in sand till blooming time or kept in a cool situation or 
handled as hyacinths are. 
In Garden and Forest of July 7th 1897 Mr. J. N. Gerard of Elizabeth N. J., 
a successful amateur, writes an interesting letter on the culture of Calochor- 
tus from which I extract the following. 
"It is probable that many who have ventured to grow them have been 
disappointed in results, for the cultural directions of the catalogues are 
usualy more or lees incorrect. They often recommend cultivation in frames 
or other conditions which deter most growers from attempting their culti- 
vation. My experience with all the species is that they are not tender nor 
at all difficult to flower in this latitude in the ordinary garden border. 
Calochortuses grow naturally in regions rainless in summer and where 
dormant plants waken into growth in the fall under the influence of moist- 
ure, but not necessarily of a light tempreature. They >re hardy here with- 
out protection but must be classed with those bulbs whose foliage w ill not 
always endure the rigor of our winters. The successful growth of such 
bulbs requires that after being thoroughly ripened in the early summer 
they shall be kept perfectly dormant so late in the year that no foliage can 
appear above the ground until early in the ensuing spring. The 
simplest and safest procedure is to lift the bulbs after ripening foliage indi- 
cates dormancy, and store them in dry earth in a warm dry place, and 
plant out where the ground has lost its warmth which in this locality is in 
November. Under such treatment they grow and flower well here even in 
soil too hard to work in dry weather and with no other attention than that 
already suggested. Of course one does not plant bulbs in manured soil or 
soil rich in humus which will hold water and ferment to their injury." 
