MANAGEMENT OF TROP^OLUM POLYPHYLLUM. 
205 
glass. Afterwards, however, it was, for the sake of trial, planted in the open air 
in a border with a western aspect, and it has stood there two winters without 
protection. One of these being, of course, that of 1844-5 — a winter almost 
unparalleled for its length and severity — there can now be no reasonable doubt of 
its complete hardihood. 
It is a plant which forms large underground tubers of considerable length, by 
which it may be propagated with facility. These are divested of their stems and 
foliage early in autumn, remain through the winter in a quiescent state, and 
protrude fresh shoots with increased profusion in spring. The species may be 
increased by dividing the tubers ; each part containing a bud, will soon produce a 
flourishing plant. 
Perhaps the early maturation of the stems, and the consequent profound state 
of torpidity at which the tubers arrive before winter, may be in some measure 
conducive to their hardiness. Hence it would be unwise to attempt to prolong 
the season of growth and vigour to any considerable degree. At Messrs. Knight 
and Perry's it has been grown in a somewhat dry situation, in a border, the soil 
of which is a light sandy loam. Probably greater vigour might be elicited by 
employing a soil of a more retentive and a more nutritive quality ; but such a 
change would be likely to affect the hardihood of the plant in two ways : first, by 
retarding the season of rest ; and secondly, by retaining more moisture in the 
vicinity of the tuber during winter. Nevertheless, such a change may possibly 
be adopted to some extent with benefit to the summer aspect of the plant, and 
without much endangering its existence through the frosty months. 
The utility of burying the tubers of Tropgeolums has been adverted to in 
former volumes : in this species they should be full four inches deep, in order to 
increase their safety from excessive cold. No hurtful consequences need be 
apprehended from doing so, if the ground is properly drained ; on the contrary, 
the plants will grow with greater luxuriance. We conceive, also, that it will 
always be better to leave the tubers in the ground undisturbed, than to remove 
them every year after the stems are withered : they will commence growing 
earlier and also more vigorously. A portion of the soil may be removed occa- 
sionally as it becomes impoverished, and a quantity of fresh earth added in its 
place. 
The shoots generally appear rather early in spring, and reach a flowering state 
about the end of May or beginning of June, lasting till the latter part of July. 
They should be trained over a sloping trellis, to show the flowers to the best 
advantage. These stand erect and are closely arranged, appearing perfectly clear 
of the handsome glaucous foliage. If a sufficient number of shoots are not sent up 
from the tuber, the strongest may be pinched back to within a short space of their 
origin ; this will insure other buds to break, and thus produce stems in plenty. 
No other pruning will be necessary. Managed in this way, it makes a very 
attractive and pleasing object. Perhaps the protrusion of flowers might be 
