Io 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Marcu 2, 1903. 
ney, still upward, we come to what is only 
recently becoming fashionable in Austra- 
ia—a pergola. It is really the old- 
time trellis of roses. This overlooks a bed 
of roses, containing a choice collection. 
Leading up to this, and beyond, is a row of 
Prunus Pissardi and Pittosporum Eugen- 
cides, planted alternately. The effect is 
very striking and pretty. Here is a bed, 
too, of Ericas that have given the doctor 
a good deal of alternating satisfaction and 
disappointment. He finds, as most gar- 
deners do, that Erica culture is an art in 
itself. In England the gardener who can 
grow Ericas is the gentleman who puts his 
own pricd on the wages list. He is a special- 
ist, and does nothing else. The climatic 
conditions, however, of the Mount Lofty 
Ranges is eminently suited to the cultiva- 
tion of this charming plant, as is abun- 
dantly shown here. This bed is a perfect 
delight in all the daintiest shades and tints 
of color. The spikes of bloom are very 
fine, and altogether lovely. Here is a list 
of some of the chief beauties: 
Erica Beaconsfieldiana: Yellow. 
Erica baccans: Deep pink. 
Erica Bowieana: Pure white. 
Erica Cavendishi: Yellow. 
Erica Charlesleyana: Pale pink. 
Erica cruenta: Deep red. 
Erica hybrida: Scarlet. ‘ 
Erica hyemalis: Pink and white. 
Erica mammosa: Bright crimson. 
Erica melanthera: Lilac. 
Erica persoluta alba: White. 
Erica perca: Deep rose. 
Erica regerminans: Pale mauve. 
Erica ventricosa: Several varicties. 
Erica Webbleyana: Rose. 
Erica Wilmoreana: Pink and white. 
There is still a corner to wander in to the 
boundary fence, and we note the thorn 
Crataegus Korolkow) as a recent introduc- 
tion ; a handsome form of Tulip tree (Lirio- 
dendron tulipifera), with leaves beautifully 
‘margined with a golden band (new); an- 
other golden-margined leaf novelty, Forsy- 
thia aurea; and a large flowering species, 
Protea cynaroides. A score or two of other 
trees, shrubs, and flowers adorn the crest 
of the hill which we cannot enumerate. 
Passing along the tennis court we arrive 
at a large water supply tank, whose dimen- 
gions almost warrant the more dignified 
title of reservoir, which, from its splendid 
elevation, makes watering by gravitation 
through pipes most effective. From this 
spot a magnificent extent of country is seen 
stretching away in the blue haze as far 
as Kangaroo Island, which can be seen 
under favorable atmospheric conditions. 
We now adjourn to further discuss the 
hospitality of the owner of St. Vigeans, 
and to offer him congratulations upon the 
splendid result of his years of labor, or, 
rather should we say, recreation. A home 
inside and outside, instructiye and beauti- 
ful. <A catalogue of the garden at St. 
Vigeans, with comments upon: its contents, 
showing where they all came from, and 
how they have grown, would be a valuable 
addition to the library of any gardener and 
botanist. This necessarily incomplete sur- 
- vey of the place should be instructive to 
those who have grounds to beautify, whe- 
therlarge or small, and we part from it with 
reluctance, yet with manifest pleasure upon 
having had the opportunity of bringing it 
under the notice of our readers. 
Bulbs and Allied Plants. 
[A paper read before the South Australian 
Gardeners’ Society by Mr. J. F. Pascoe. ] 
Among the most beautiful garden orna- 
ments Providence has supplied to us, easily 
obtained and increased, in this climate 
generally hardy, or requiring very little 
cultivation, occupying but little room, at 
their best when other flowers are comipara- 
tively scarce, of all forms and colors, and 
many of exquisite perfume, why is it so 
few are grown? Universal favorites, it 
cannot be they are not admired—our 
flower shows prove the contrary—nor can 
it be their price places them beyond the 
reach of only flower lovers. But what- 
ever the reason is, the fact remains that, 
excepting a few of the common sorts, bulbs 
in this State are very little grown. This 
ought not to be, for much of the beauty 
aad interest of our gardens is derived from 
bulbous plants, and with a small but judi- 
cious first outlay sufficient may be obtained 
to give our gardens a gorgeous appearance 
for at least six to eight months of the year. 
Excepting a few of the choice kinds, they 
will grow, flower, and increase in ordinary 
garden soil, and require little or no culti- 
vation, excepting, of course, such as are re- 
quired for exhibition or special purposes. 
_.One writer says: —‘“There is a peculiar 
~ charm about bulbous plants, arising partly, 
nt doubt, from their peculiar sweetness 
and beauty, but chiefly, perhaps, from the 
mystery of their lives—they bloom, fade, 
ana retire underground. Like sensible 
yisitors, they come when wanted, and far 
rarer merit still, go when not wanted ; 
they hide away as soon as their beauty 
fades, and are no more seen till a new life 
of verdure, beauty, and fragrance bursts 
ferth when and where most wanted. The 
temporary rest of the bulb is also most 
favorable to its transportion to a new 
place ; it invites removal, and renders it 
safe and easy.” 
To attempt to do justice to this subject 
in an ordinary paper would be simply ridi- 
culous. I must, therefore, condense my 
remarks to the smallest pdssible limits, and 
confine them to such sorts as are most 
hardy, or can be grown with the least 
treuble. Time nor space will not permit 
my attempting to define bulbs and explain 
the difference between them and corms, 
rhizomes, tubers, and other fleshy rooted 
plants, but the words bulbs and bulbous 
are used in their broadest sense, and are in- 
tended to include the whole. 
For many of the best known and most 
popular bulbs, such as Hyacinths, Crocuses, 
some of the Liliums and Amaryllids, 
Poonias, Funkias, Snowdrops, Crinums, 
Clivias, Nerines,  Tuberoses, Tropzolums, 
and a few others our plains climate is cer- 
tainly trying, but most of them succeed 
in carefully-prepared ground, if taken up 
after they have flowered, and the bulbs 
stewed in a cool room, or they do well in 
a shadehouse; but WNarcissi, Irises, 
Gladioli, a few of the Amaryllids, some of 
the Liliums, Tulips, Ranunculi, Anemones, 
Snowflakes, ‘Babianas, Ixias, Tritonias, 
Scillas, the Agapanthus, Alliums, Antho- 
lizas, Lachenallias, Moreas, Ornithogulums, 
Oxalis, Watsonias, &c., are so suitable that 
they may with safety, or even advantage, 
be left in the ground for years. 
I am continually asked, ‘““How deep 
must I plant my bulbs?’ When in doubt 
plant deeply. No hard and fast rule will 
apply, but the following practice is usually 
adopted :—Scaly and solid bulbs should be 
planted deep, say from four to six inches, 
but tunicated or coated bulbs may be 
planted shallow, almost on the surface, or 
half buried. 
Of all cultivated bulbs, possibly the 
Hyacinth is the most popular, and, except- 
ing the Narcissus, the most extensively 
grown, especially in Europe and America, 
affording support to thousands and delight 
to millions. Of matchless beauty, unsur- 
pessed sweetness, in immense diversity of 
color, wonderfully amenable to the most 
diverse treatment, and enduring hardships 
of the most severe nature. The noblest 
of spring flowers, put in this State it is 
under a ban. In many instances its cul- 
tivation has not been a great success, but 
this is perhaps more the fault of the cul- 
tivator than that of the bulb. The 
Hyacinth is a deep-rooting plant, a gros 
feeder, and fond of water; therefore it is 
imperatively necessary (if you want first- 
class flowers) that the ground be well and 
deeply prepared, and sufficient moisture be 
supplied whilst they are in a growing state. 
Tt is also desirable that the bulbs should 
be taken up after the tops have been tied 
dewn, and be harvested in a cool room. 
The flowers, double and single, are pro- 
duced in spikes on stout flower-stalks 
averaging six to nine inches in length, and 
are of various colors, from pure white to al- 
most black, in various shades of blue, car- 
mine, crimson, cerise, scarlet, red, yellow, 
purple, pink, and violet. The bulbs are cul- 
tivated in various ways, one of the most 
favorite being in glasses nearly filled with 
water. For pot culture they are unsur- 
passed, and bear forcing admirably, but 
when grown in pots it is advisable to have 
proper bulb pots, that is, pots deeper in 
proportion to their diameter than ordinary 
ones. <A five-inch pot is sufficient for one 
strong bulb, an eight-inch pot for three 
strong bulbs, a nine-inch for five, and so 
on in proportion. Several bulbs of various 
colors grown in one pot has a very pretty 
effect. The proper time for planting is 
February and March, although they may 
be planted a month or even two later. 
H. Candicans (Galtonia) produces a 
neble spike rising to the height of three 
