Beautiful Bulbous Plants for the Open Air

Chapter I: Preface

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Although many articles have appeared from time to time in the horticultural newspapers and periodicals dealing with various aspects of the subject, it cannot be said that Bulbous Plants have hitherto received the attention they deserve in gardening literature. This volume therefore appears at an opportune moment to meet a recognised want, and in fulfilment of the promise made in the preface to "BEAUTIFUL GARDEN FLOWERS."

While Bulbous Plants as a class have been somewhat neglected, it may be noted that one or two families have been dealt with specially in years gone by. In this connection mention may be made of the magnificent "Monograph of the Genus Lilium," by Mr. H. J. Elwes; the "Narcissus, its History and Culture," by Mr. F. W. Burbidge, M.A., and Mr. J. G. Baker, F.R.S.; a "History of the Genus Crocus," by the Hon. and Rev. Dean Herbert, whose original drawings and MS. notes are preserved in the Lindley Library. Mr. Geo. Maw has also dealt specially with the "Crocus"; and more recently the Rev. Eugene Bourne with the "Daffodil"; Miss Jekyle and Mr. Goldring with "Lilies," &c.

A glance at the coloured plates will perhaps be sufficient to give the reader a good idea as to the numerous kinds of Bulbous Plants now grown in gardens, and of the marvellous range of colour to be found in their blossoms. It has not been considered advisable to include in this volume such hothouse bulbous plants as Eucharis, Crinum, Hymenocallis, Pancratium, but only those kinds that are most likely to give general, if not universal, satisfaction when grown in the open air according to the cultural instructions to be found under the heads of the various genera.

In the preparation of this work I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, through whose kindness I have had opportunities for examining the bulbs or corms of the rarer plants referred to in the letterpress.

I also owe my best thanks for the specimens kindly supplied to illustrate the work by A. Worsley, Esq., of Isleworth; Messrs. Barr and Son, of Covent Garden; Messrs. Wallace and Company, of Colchester; Messrs. Ware, of Feltham; and Mr. Perry, of Winchmore Hill.

JOHN WEATHERS.

LIST OF PLATES.

PLATE. FIG. PLATE. FIG.

1. IXIAS (_Frontispiece_) 1-6 18. CAMASSIA CUSICKI 70
LILIUM PYRENAICUM 71
2. SCILLA SIBIRICA MULTIFLORA 7 ALLIUM ERDELII 72
GALANTHUS NIVALIS 8 IXIOLIRION PALLASI 73
CHIONODOXA LUCILIAE 9
HYACINTHUS AZUREUS 10 19. ORNITHOGALUM PYRAMIDALE 74
BREVOORTIA IDA-MAIA 75
3. BULBOUS IRISES: BRODIAEA LAXA 76
I. HISTRIO 11 BRODIAEA IXIOIDES 77
I. BAKERIANA 12
I. KOLPAKOWSKYANA 13 20. GALTONIA CANDICANS 78
I. DANFORDIAE 14 SISYRINCHIUM GRANDIFLORUM 79
I. PERSICA 15 BRODIAEA HOWELLI LILACINA 80
4. DAFFODILS: 21. EARLY-FLOWERING
ELLEN WILLMOTT 16 GLADIOLI 81-83
MDME. DE GRAAFF 17 22. CALOCHORTUS VENUSTUS 84
HORSFIELDI 18 CALOCHORTUS ALBUS 85
CALOCHORTUS PULCHELLUS 86
5. DAFFODILS
CYCLAMINEUS 19 23. GLADIOLUS OPPOSITIFLORUS 87
TRIANDRUS ALBUS 20 LILIUM CANADENSE, VARS. 88-89
PRINCESS MARY OF CAMBRIDGE 21
GLORIA MUNDI 22 24. LILIUM TIGRINUM 90
SIR WATKIN 23 BRODIAEA BRIDGESI 91

6. DAFFODILS: 25. LILIUM TENUIFOLIUM 92
GRAND MONARQUE 24 LILIUM HANSONI 93
SOLEIL D'OR 25 LILIUM LONGIFLORUM 94
WEARDALE PERFECTION 26
LULWORTH 27 26. LILIUM MARTAGON ALBUM 95
WATSONIA ARDERNEI 96
7. GARDENIA NARCISSUS 28 LILIUM RUBELLUM 97
POET'S NARCISSUS 29 LILIUM COLCHICUM 98
HYACINTHUS AMETHYSTINUS 30
27. WATSONIA MERIANA 99
8. FRITILLARIAS: WATSONIA ALBA 100
F. MOGGRIDGEI 31 WATSONIA ANGUSTA 101
F. WALUJEWI 32 MONTBRETIA
F. MELEAGRIS ALBA 33 CROCOSMIAEFLORA 102
F. RECURVA 34
28. GLADIOLUS NANCEIANUS 103
GLADIOLUS LEMOINEI 104
9. TULIPS 35-38 GLADIOLUS CHILDSI 105

10. TULIPS 39-42 29. ZEPHYRANTHES ATAMASCO 106
ORNITHOGALUM ARABICUM 107
11. HYACINTHS 43-46 ORNITHOGALUM NUTANS 108

12. LEUCOJUM VERNUM 47 30. CRINUM MOOREI 109
MUSCARI CONICUM 48 TIGRIDIA LILACEA 110
ERYTHRONIUM JOHNSONI 49
TECOPHILAEA CYANOCROCUS 50 31. BELLADONNA LILY 111
DIERAMA PULCHERRIMA 112
13. BRODIAEA UNIFLORA 51-52
CHIONODOXA SARDENSIS 53 32. TULBAGHIA VIOLACEA 113
ERYTHRONIUM DENS-CANIS 54-55 ZEPHYRANTHES CANDIDA 114
CRINUM POWELLI ALBUM 115
14. ENGLISH IRISES 56-59 LYCORIS SQUAMIGERA 116

15. SPANISH IRISES 60-63 33. CROCUS MEDIUS 117
COLCHICUM SPECIOSUM 118
16. MADONNA LILY 64 STERNBERGIA LUTEA 119
FRITILLARIA IMPERIALIS, STERNBERGIA MACRANTHA 120
VARS. 65-66 CROCUS OCHROLEUCUS 121
CROCUS SPECIOSUS 122
17. LILIUM CROCEUM 67
ALLIUM MOLY 68
SCILLA PERUVIANA ALBA 69

CONTENTS. PAGE

Preface v

List of Plates viii

Index ix

Introduction 1

Geographical Distribution 6

Something about Bulbs and Corms 7

Soil for Bulbous Plants 16

Hints to Beginners 18

How Deep should Bulbs be Planted? 22

Natural Sinking of Bulbs and Corms 25

Bulbs without Contractile Roots 27

Propagation of Bulbous Plants:--
By Offsets, Bulbils, Leaf-Scales, Division, Seeds. 29-36

Lifting and Storing Bulbs 36

Combinations of Bulbous and Non-Bulbous Plants 38

Naturalising Bulbous Plants in the Grass 41

Bulbous Plants under Trees and Shrubs 43

Bulbous Plants for Cut Flowers 43

Bulbous Plants for Cold Greenhouses 46

Bulbous Plants for Window Boxes 48

Descriptions, Culture, Propagation, &c.,
of the Best Bulbous Plants for the Open Air 50

Enemies of Bulbous Plants 141

Manuring Bulbous Plants 148

INDEX

BEAUTIFUL BULBOUS PLANTS.

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