October, 1891. 
ORCH t\RD [; iiND GRRDE N 
171 
clumps in the border. Outside they should 
be planted about three inches deep, and 
need not be disturbed for several years. 
If to remain for years, place the bulbs 
or corms three inches deep and about 
four inches apart, and in two or three years 
they will make a solid line of color. If to 
be taken up at the end of the season, the 
bulbs may be placed an inch apart. The 
Crocus is also an excellent plant for winter 
blooming indoors. When grown in a room, 
however, they are annoyingly subject to 
the Aphis or green fly. This pest may be 
subdued by the occasional use of Buhack. 
The bulbs may be planted an inch or two 
apart in any sized pot, with the crown half 
an inch below the surface. Corcuses are 
sometimes planted in pots, having the form 
of hedgehogs, beehives, etc. The accom- 
panying illustration, (Fig. 1033) is a neat 
rustic form. The bottom is an independent 
piece, and takes the place of a saucer. The 
planting is done by inverting the pot, plac- 
ing the bulbs in the holes, and filling in the 
earth as you go along. The earth 
should be made firm as you proceed. 
When the pot is filled, the saucer is 
put in place and the pot carefully 
turned to its upright position. To 
prevent displacement of the earth, 
the pot and saucer must be held firm- 7^ 
ly together while being turned. Wat- 
er is given by filling the saucer. 
# * * 
The Calochortus, or Butterfly Tu- 
lip of California, is not jet by any 
means as well known as it should be, 
though originally introduced many 
years ago. It is a genus of very beau- 
tiful flowers, which in form resem- 
ble a Tulip, and hence the common 
name. The colors of the flowers are 
white, yellow, and purple, and some 
are beautifully blotched and spotted. 
With a covering of leaves the bulbs 
will pass the winter safely in the lat- 
itude of New York city, and perhaps 
farther North. A light soil abound- 
ing with leaf mould suits them best; 
but they will grow in almost any sandy 
loam enriched with old, well decayed ma- 
nure. We have seen them in flower in 
March in a green-house; but this is rare, 
midsummer being their natural season for 
bloom. C. Gunnisoni is the beautiful Mari- 
posa Tulip. While the Calochortus loves 
moisture it is quite sure to fail if planted in 
a spot where water accumulates either in 
winter or summer. This is a well settled 
point. 
* * * 
We have more than once called attention 
to Narcissus as winter-blooming plants. We 
do so again. The florist will force these 
bulbs because of the profit they yield. The 
amateur should grow' them for the sake of 
their beauty and sweetness, and also be- 
cause, with just a little care, they will, in 
the midst of winter, give him very pleasant 
anticipations of the coming Spring. Many 
beautiful additions have of late been made 
to the Trumpet section, and we advise the 
amateur to grow for the window garden 
the Trumpet section rather than the Poly- 
anthus, which is the section usually forced 
by the florist. He may grow some of both 
if he should have the room to do so. The 
following Trumpet varieties, among others, 
are easily grown, but should be potted early : 
Horsfieldii, Empress, Ard Righ (Irish King,) 
Sir Watkins, Princeps, Trumpet Major ,Bul- 
bocodium(Hoop Petticoat, )Obvallaris (Ten- 
by Daffodil,) North Star, Saragossa, Maxi- 
mus, Stella. The accompanying illustration 
is a fine portrait of some of these. The 
Polyanthus Narcissus, which bears smaller 
but many flowers on the same spathe, is not 
quite hardy at the North, and should be 
covered with leaves or straw when planted 
out of doors. This is the section so largely 
forced in winter by florists. The following 
are good varieties for the window garden, 
and bloom early : Totus albus (N. Tazetta 
papyraceus, Paper White,) Princess Royal, 
Grand Monarque, Prince of Wales, Bazel- 

The Nerine or Guernsey Lily. 
man major, Her Majesty. Three to five 
bulbs in a pot of suitable size will produce 
a more pleasing effect than a single bulb in 
a small pot. The soil used for Hyacinths 
will answer for Narcissus. 
* * * 
The charming little Scilla Siberica should 
not be forgotten. They should be large- 
ly planted out of doors. They will 
look all the prettier for being planted near 
the Snowdrops. It is one of the easiest of 
Spring harbingers. It may also be grown 
in pots. Scilla Peruviana ccerulea and S. P. 
alba are not hardy, but are handsome 
plants for pot culture, The bulbs are large. 
* * * 
We shall have more to say on the subject 
of bulbs next month. The cuts of the illus- 
trations here given have been kindly lent 
to us by Messrs. Jas. M. Thorburn and Co. , 
the bulb and seed merchants, of 15 JohnSt., 
New York. — P. B. Mead. 
E ARE often asked how 
often a lawn should be 
mowed. That depends 
upon circumstances, 
such as the nature of 
the soil, the weather, 
and other varying con- 
ditions. It is very 
much a matter of judgment in each particu- 
lar case. We have seen well-made, hand- 
some lawns well-nigh ruined by too frequent 
cutting, and we have also seen lawns that 
would have looked much better if they had 
been cut a little oftener. As a rule, once a 
week is often enough. Saturday 
should, if possiole, be lawn-mowing 
day, when the walks and everything 
else should be cleaned up, that the 
whole place may be in harmony with 
the day of rest. 
The Kilmarnock Willow (Salix ca- 
prea pendula) has long been a favor- 
ite lawn tree, especially for small 
places, and other dwarf pendulous 
trees, however handsome, have thus 
far failed to displace it. It is usually 
worked too low, the pendulous branch- 
es soon reaching the ground and some- 
what disfiguring the lawn by destroy- 
ing the grass. It is of very symmet- 
rical form, dwarf in habit, and one 
of the handsomest trees of its class. 
It is particularly useful and effective 
on a small place. It should not be 
worked less than sixfeet high.-P.B.M. 
Planting Near Buildings. 
A mischievous error and one too 
frequently perpetrated, is that of placing 
trees close to buildings. Although trees 
and shrubs are the chief decorative orna- 
ments of a place, they become not only dis- 
agreeable but positively in jurious to animal 
life, when closely massed around a habita- 
tion, by shutting out light and preventing 
the rays of the sun and drying action of 
the winds from exerting their salutary in- 
fluence on the walls, which in consequence 
are damp and unhealthy. Where large trees 
are allowed to spread and overhang the roofs, 
choking the gutters and water leaders, and 
causing a deposit of mold and other fungoid 
growths as far as their influence extends, it 
is impossible for the house to be dry, com- 
fortable, or healthy for human beings. Many 
of the older houses throughout the country 
are rendered almost uninhabitable by the 
dense surroundings of trees and shrubbery, 
and the evil is greatly aggravated when the 
trees are evergreens. — Wm. Saunders. 
