Daniels Bros., Norwich , Autumn, 1891. 
Remarks on Cultivation, &c. (continued) . 
till the stems have pushed their way some eight or ten inches 
through the plunging material, when they may be removed to 
the cool pit or vinery till the flower-buds begin to expand, and 
then removed to the corridor, drawing-room, or conservatory ; 
or the plants may remain in the plunging material till coming 
into bloom, before removal to the window, &c., should there be 
no convenience of a forwarding place as suggested. To prevent 
breakage a neat stake should be placed to each stem when taken 
up from where plunged ; and if extra fine blooms are required, 
a few of the weaker buds should be pinched out in such varieties 
as will admit of this being done. When the blooms are off, the 
bulbs should be gradually ripened by giving less and less water ; 
and when the stem is quite withered, they should be stored in 
some cool, dry place, for future potting or planting. Lily 
blooms, if cut and placed in water when just expanding, will 
last a considerable time, and are very beautiful for table and 
other decorations, the pure w'hite varieties being especially 
valuable for this purpose. 
Lily of the Valley 
(Convallaria majalis). 
This beautiful and fragrant little gem is much too well 
known and highly popular to need any comment of ours. 
Planted out of doors it will succeed admirably on any shady 
border or spot, under or among trees, woodland walks, &c. 
A light rich loamy soil is the best; the roots should be planted 
about three inches deep. When grown in pots for forcing, pot 
them in thirty-two-sized pots filled to within about three and a 
half inches of the rim with rich loamy soil, upon which place 
the shoots or crowns closely, and then cover with about two 
inches of leaf-mould and sand, and give a good watering ; place 
on a shelf near the glass in a moist stove or forcing house, keep 
well supplied with moisture, and soon as the plants begin to 
show their flower-heads, remove to a warm greenhouse, keeping 
near the glass till the flowers begin to expand, when they should 
be gradually removed to a more shady place before removal to 
the drawing-room, &c. 
Ranunculi. 
Although it is somewhat difficult to grow a large collection 
of choice named Ranunculi to perfection, there are many 
beautiful varieties of the edged, spotted, and self-coloured 
classes, the principal of which are contained in our list, that 
are easily grown, and will bloom freely in any light rich soil 
with a fair amount of moisture ; and, considering their chaste 
and elegant forms, equalling the most perfect Rose or Camellia, 
their tirilliant and attractive colours, ranging through the 
various shades of crimson, scarlet, purple, yellow, and even 
black, to the purest white, their exquisite markings or edgings, 
and in some instances delicious fragrance, it is a matter of 
surprise that these inexpensive luxuries should not be found in 
every Knglish garden. The first essential conditions in the 
cultivation of Ranunculi are a fresh rich soil, and an open and 
sunny situation. If the soil where it is intended to plant 
Ranunculi is too heavy, give a good dressing of sharp sand or 
road silt; if too light, add a fair proportion of sandy loam. 
For early flowering, plant the tubers (claws downwards) in 
November or December in drills about six inches apart, two 
inches deep, with about three or four inches botween the tubers 
in the row ; to complete the operation the tubers merely require 
covering with fine soil and the bed to be raked level. When 
the plants come up in Spring they must be kept free of weeds, 
and the surface of the bed occasionally stirred ; and as soon as 
large enough a rich mulching of well-decayed manure should 
be placed on the bed between the rows, and liberal waterings 
should be given in dry weather, especially about the blooming 
period. If not convenient to plant in Autumn, February, 
March, or April will do very well, but as these will bloom later, 
particular attention must be paid to keeping well supplied with 
moisture, &c. The Turban varieties, which succeed with a 
somewhat rougher treatment, arc admirably suited for planting 
in clumps on miscellaneous beds or borders in association with 
other plants, or as edgings, &c., and are very floriferous and 
telling. As the tubers are liable to injury from rain, if left in 
the ground after blooming, they should be taken up when the 
foliage turns yellow or ripens, and after being gradually dried, 
stored away for future planting. 
Scillas. 
The dwarf-growing early-flowering varieties of this beautiful 
class, as S. sibirica, prcecox, amcena, and bifolia, are extremely 
beautiful, and should be grown freely in every garden. In 
height they do not exceed four or five inches, and their lovely 
bending sprays of rich ultramarine blue flowers appear in the 
greatest profusion during the month of March. They are quite 
hardy, grow freely in almost any soil or position, and make 
charmingly effective edgings to beds of Snowdrops, &c., and if 
planted three or four inches deep and allowed to remain 
undisturbed, they will come up and bloom every Spring with 
increasing vigour and beauty. Planted eight or ten in a 
six-inch pot and treated as recommended for Hyacinths, they 
succeed equally well, and have a pretty effect in the greenhouse. 
The varieties of S. 'peruviana and S. campanulata bloom in 
May and June. These are of stronger growth than the 
preceding, and suited to the rougher parts of the garden. 
Snowdrops. 
Both the single and double flowered varieties of these ever 
popular and charming little “ Heralds of Spring ” are too well 
known to need any description. Snowdrops will thrive in almost 
any soil or situation, and best when planted in clumps and left 
to take care of themselves for several years in succession, when 
they will form handsome and increasingly largo groups, which on 
warm, sunny banks or borders, will push forth their numerous 
beautiful pure white flowers early in the new year. October is 
the best month to plant, and the bulbs should be placed threo or 
four inches deep, and about two inches apart. We have seen 
some pretty effects produced in Spring by planting Snowdrops 
in various designs on lawns, grass plots, &c. The Giant 
Snowdrop ( Oalanthus Elivesi), a line variety, growing to 
the height of a foot, is undoubtedly the finest of all the 
Snowdrops. It is quite hardy, as easily grown as the common 
variety, and so cheap as now to be within the reach of all. 
Tigridias, or Tiger Flowers. 
These gorgeously beautiful Autumn-blooming plants, which 
are well worth a place in every garden, are quite hardy when 
grown in light rich soil or on a warm sunny border. March and 
April are the best months for planting, and they merely require 
to be planted four or five inches deep in clumps of six or eight 
roots, to ensure the most pleasing results, but when grown on 
heavy or damp ground they should be taken up and stored for 
the Winter. All the varieties are beautiful, the new creamy- 
white “ Grandiflora alba” extremely so; the individual blooms 
of this variety are very large, of a beautifully creamy-white 
colour, conspicuously marked in the centre with red and violet, 
giving it the most charming appearance. 
Tuberoses. 
These deliciously fragrant and exceedingly useful flowers 
are much more easily grown than is generally supposed, and 
will well repay the little trouble that is necessary to have them 
in perfection. For early forcing pot singly into five or six- 
inch pots, as early in the season as the bulbs can bo obtained 
(African-grown are the soonest procurable), and plunge in a 
good moist heat, withholding water till the foliage makes its 
appearance, w 7 hen water may be given abundantly till the 
flower-buds are formed, when they may be removed to the 
greenhouse or conservatory and less water given. For Autumn 
blooming, pot singly into five or six-incli pots in March or April, 
using a light rich compost, and plunge the pots about six inches 
above their rims in cocoa-nut fibre, coal ashes, or any light 
material, under the stage of a greenhouse or in a cool pit or 
frame ; when the foliage of these makes its appearance they 
should be removed and plunged under a south wall, removing 
them to the greenhouse or indoors as the flower-buds are 
formed. Dry roots may also bo planted in sheltered places in 
the open ground, from the middle of April to the latter part of 
May, and will produce beautiful flowers in Autumn if taken up 
and potted when coming into flower, and will furnish a supply 
of valuable bloom in the greenhouse almost up to Christmas. 
