THE TUBEROSE. 
The nature of the Tuberose and its culture seems not to be well understood. Nothing is sim¬ 
pler than the culture necessary to success, and nothing easier or more sure than failure under 
improper treatment. One of our customers ordered two dozen early in the spring, planted six of 
the number in pots as soon as received, and kept them in 
the house for nearly a month before it seemed advisable to 
transfer them to the garden. At the time these were planted 
out (about the middle of May), six others that had not been 
potted were also planted. The other twelve were placed in 
the cellar, where they would not become dry, and were not 
planted out until July. They were then potted and the pots 
sunk in the ground, the intention being to take them up in 
the autumn, for flowering in the house. The result was only 
partially satisfactory. The first six 
planted in pots flowered about the 
middle of the summer, the six put in 
the open ground about the middle of 
May, bloomed some weeks later, but 
the dozen kept and potted in July and 
designed for early winter flowers 
SECTION OF HYACINTH. , i . r i , 
grew and gave plenty of leaves, but 
no flower-stems and no flowers. This is the substance of a long letter now 
before us, and is a very good text for a short discourse. 
In most of the bulbous, and many of the tuberous family, not only is 
the nutriment designed to sustain the flower the next season gathered and 
safely stored in the bulb, but the flower-stem and the miniature flowers 
are formed, ready for growth at the first opportunity. We give an engrav¬ 
ing of a Hyacinth which we divided and placed in 
in the hands of our artist for the purpose of illustrat¬ 
ing this point. We selected the Hyacinth because 
embryo flowers are usually more fully developed 
in this than in almost any other bulb. The Hya¬ 
cinth is jquite hardy, and the germ is not easily 
injured or destroyed. If it should become broken 
after starting, or injured in any way, the bulb grows 
from the center, and will at once commence pre¬ 
paring for flowering the next summer. 
The Tuberose is entirely different. It flowers only once, but forms 
small bulbs on its sides, and these in time become flowering bulbs. The 
Tuberose is a native of warm countries, and delights in great heat. It 
will not endure cold and moisture, either in the ground or stored away for 
future planting. The little flower-stem is fonned in the bulb, as we have 
shown in the engraving of a healthy Tuberose , though not always so plainly, 
as we had to cut several before we found one sufficiently distinct for our 
purpose. This bulb will grow and flower; but if it should be kept in a 
cool room for a few weeks, and especially if it is damp as well, the 
flowering-stem would become discolored and finally decay, and on cut¬ 
ting, it would present the appearance shown in the engraving of an 
unsound Tuberose. This unsound tuber would grow, give plenty of 
sound tuberose. leaves and young bulbs, but no flowers. By keeping the tubers in a cool 
cellar our friend destroyed the young flower-stems. Had they been kept in a warm room they 
would probably have received no injury. It is always best, however, to obtain Tuberoses from 
the seedsman about the right time for planting, because he has facilities for keeping them in good 
condition, and will do so if he understands his business; and will not send out an unsound bulb 
UNSOUND TUBEROSE. 
