Chapter III: Lilies That Flourish in Very Moist but Well-Drained Sandy Loam,

PEAT, AND LEAF-SOIL. THEY ARE EXCELLENT FOR PLANTING IN SHADY BORDERS, UNDER NORTH WALLS, OR BY THE SIDE OF PONDS, &c.

_Burbanki_, a fine hybrid between _pardalinum_ and _Parryi_. Flowers, pale orange-yellow, spotted with chocolate and flushed with crimson at the tips. A single stem often has as many as twenty or thirty blooms upon it.

_Canadense_, a rhizomatous "Turk's Cap" Lily, 2 to 4 feet high, with drooping funnel-shaped flowers varying in colour from bright orange-red to pale red, the upper portion of the segments being heavily spotted with purple-brown. (See Plate 23, figs. 88 and 89.) There are several forms such as _rubrum_, _flavum_, _parvum_, &c.

_Catesbaei_, an elegant species, 1 to 2 feet high, having erect bell-shaped flowers of a bright orange-red heavily spotted with purple.

_Cordifolium_, a very distinct-looking Lily, 3 to 4 feet high, having broadly heart-shaped ovate leaves, and tubular white flowers with violet-brown spots at the base.

_Grayi_ is closely related to _canadense_, but has deep crimson flowers heavily blotched with purple at the yellowish base.

_Maritimum_ is a pretty Lily, 3 to 5 feet high, with small deep red bell-shaped flowers spotted with dark purple.

_Parryi_ is another rhizomatous Lily, 2 to 6 feet high. The more or less drooping flowers are citron-yellow, spotted with purple-brown, and are sweetly fragrant.

_Superbum_ is known as the "Swamp Lily" of North America. It has creeping rhizomes which produce bulbs at intervals, and the violet-purple stems grow 4 to 10 feet high. The drooping orange-red flowers, sometimes as many as twenty to forty on a stem, are heavily spotted with violet-purple. The variety _carolinianum_ (also known as _autumnale_ and _Michauxianum_) has flowers like those of the type, but the plants only grow about 2 feet high.

PLATE 25. LILIUM TENUIFOLIUM (92) LILIUM HANSONI (93) LILIUM LONGIFLORUM (94)

Most of the Lilies described in these three sections may be grown in beds by themselves on the grass, or they may be planted in clumps in borders or shrubberies where they will have plenty of space and enough sunshine to enable them to develop fully. The peat-loving kinds--those in the second and third sections--are excellent for planting amongst such plants as Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Kalmias, and other peat-loving shrubs.

=LYCORIS squamigera.=--This distinct Japanese plant is closely related to the Belladonna Lily (see p. 51). It has rather long-necked roundish bulbs, 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and strap-shaped leaves about a foot long. From July to September, after the leaves have withered, the large sweet-scented rosy-lilac flowers (see Plate 32, fig. 116) are borne on a stout stalk 2 to 3 feet high. This plant may be grown out of doors in the milder parts of the kingdom in warm sheltered spots, such as against a well on a south border. It likes rich well-drained sandy loam and leaf-soil, but grows freely in ordinary good garden soil. There are other species that may probably succeed in the open air in the same way, such as _aurea_, golden-yellow; _straminea_, pale yellow with a pink central line and red dots; and _radiata_, bright red.

=MERENDERA Bulbocodium.=--A pretty Pyrenean plant closely related to _Bulbocodium vernum_. It grows only 3 or 4 inches high, and produces its rosy-lilac funnel-shaped flowers in autumn at the same time as some of the true Colchicums. The narrow sickle-shaped leaves appear after the flowers are over and remain fresh and green till spring. There are a few other species, but they are practically unknown in gardens. The Merendera may be grown exactly in the same way as the Colchicums, in the border, rock-garden, or best of all in the grass. The stock may be increased by offsets and seeds.

=MILLA biflora.=--There is now only one Milla, the plants formerly known under that name being now included in the genus Brodiaea (see p. 56). _M. biflora_ has rather small bulbs with fleshy roots and narrow, grass-like, blue-green leaves. The pretty pure white salver-shaped blossoms appear in August and September usually two to four on stems about 6 inches high. Being a native of Mexico, _M. biflora_ should be grown in warm sheltered spots in the rock-garden or border, in a rich sandy loam, the bulbs being planted about 4 inches deep. Increased by offsets.

=MUSCARI= (_Grape Hyacinth_).--A charming class of plants with roundish bulbs about 1 inch in diameter, narrow leaves, and conical clusters of urn-shaped or tubular blossoms drooping from stems 3 to 6 inches high. Although the Grape Hyacinths may be easily grown in patches or edgings in the ordinary flower border, there is no place that shows off their sheets of brilliant blue blossoms so well as a grassy bank, or a nook in the rockery, where they should be planted in large numbers. They naturally like a rich and well drained soil with plenty of grit or sand in it, and some leaf-soil. The bulbs should be planted about 3 inches deep in September and October, and when naturalised in the grass may be left for several seasons without being disturbed. Most of the kinds blossom in March, April, and May, and are easily increased by offsets. Seeds may also be sown (see p. 36).

The following is a selection of the best kinds. The flowers are blue in all cases, except where otherwise mentioned, and the general appearance of the blossoms is as shown by _M. conicum_ in Plate 12, fig. 48:--_Armeniacum_; _botryoides_, with a white-flowered variety _album_; _comosum_, the monstrous form of which, with twisted and wavy bluish-violet filaments, is known as the Ostrich Feather Hyacinth; _conicum_ (see Plate 12, fig. 48), of which there is a beautiful brilliant blue variety called "Heavenly Blue." _Heldreichi_, like _botryoides_, but larger; _Maweanum_; _neglectum_; _racemosum_; _amphibolus_ porcelain blue; and _Szovitsianum_.

There are other colours besides blue among the Grape Hyacinths. Thus the "Musk Hyacinth" (_M. moschatum_) has sweet-scented blossoms which change from purple at first to greenish-yellow tinged with violet. It has a yellow flowered variety called _flavum_ or _macrocarpum_. Some forms of _neglectum_ are salmon-pink, while the blossoms of _M. paradoxum_ might be described almost as black.

=NARCISSUS= (_Daffodil_).--What so charming in the spring-time as "a host of Golden Daffodils"? The varieties are now almost legion, and they are still being added to by enthusiastic hybridists in various parts of the kingdom. The crossing of one section with another may possibly worry the botanist, but there is no fear that the gardener will not welcome any new variety that may be raised. Although thousands of the older Daffodils may be bought for a few shillings, the rarer varieties still command a respectably high price, and will naturally continue to do so until the stock has been considerably increased.

There is scarcely a nook in the garden, large or small, where Daffodils cannot be grown. And yet it is astonishing to note their general absence from suburban gardens, where they would not only grow freely, but also make a cheerful picture in the spring-time.

PLATE 26. LILIUM MARTAGON ALBUM (95) WATSONIA ARDERNEI (96) LILIUM RUBELLUM (97) LILIUM COLCHICUM (98)

Daffodils--with the exception, perhaps, of a very few varieties--require as little attention, and even less than Snowdrops or Crocuses. Once planted they may be left undisturbed for years, and as each season comes round they gaily shoot their blue-green strap-shaped leaves and creamy or golden blossoms through the ground.

They grow in almost any soil, but prefer a rather stiff and well-drained loam. They are appropriate in any situation in the flower border or rockery. But their natural position is undoubtedly in the grass, or--

"Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze,"

As Wordsworth has it.

=When to Plant.=--The best time to plant Daffodil bulbs is from the end of August to November. As there is a great difference in the size of the bulbs, according to the variety, the depth of planting should vary accordingly. Thus bulbs 1 to 2 inches deep from top of neck to base should be planted quite 3 or 4 inches deep, while larger ones will be planted 4 to 6 inches deep in proportion, and about the same distance apart, except, of course, when they are used between other plants like Tulips, Wallflowers, Polyanthuses, &c., for a combination display in spring.

Most of the Daffodils are valuable for cutting and decorative purposes generally when in season, and when one has the convenience of a greenhouse--cold or otherwise--the flowering period can be extended from Christmas onwards.

Daffodils are most easily increased by the offsets from the old bulbs. These may be lifted in early summer, when the leaves have begun to turn yellow. Seeds may also be sown when ripe (see page 36), but to secure them the plants must be left much longer in the ground, so as to mature them.

Nearly all kinds of Daffodils--especially those having only one flower on a stem--may be grown in the open air. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, but the uninitiated may start with such kinds as the beautiful white and flat-flowered "Poet's Narcissus" (_N. poeticus_), which is also called the "Pheasant's Eye" Narcissus, because of the crimson and orange circles round the rim of the flat saucer-like "corona" in the centre (see Plate 7, fig. 29). There are several varieties of the Poet's Narcissus, one of the best for ordinary purposes being _ornatus_. Where the soil is particularly rich and well-drained the double-flowered variety, called the "Gardenia" Narcissus, owing to the shape of its beautiful white blossoms (see Plate 7, fig. 28), may be grown. Unfortunately this variety often comes "blind," that is, the blossoms remain undeveloped in the papery sheath on top of the stem. To check this the bulbs are best lifted and transplanted early to fresh soil. Another popular and easily-grown Daffodil is the common Double Yellow one known as _Telamonius plenus_ or _Van Sion_. It is a form of the Tenby Daffodil (_N. obvallaris_) which is a single form with beautiful yellow flowers, having a large "trumpet" or corona in the centre. Closely related to this is the Great Spanish Daffodil (_N. major_) which has large bright lemon-yellow flowers, which are still larger and of richer yellow in the variety _maximus_.

="Ajax" Daffodils.=--To these may be added the numerous forms, of which the common Lent Lily (also called "Ajax" or "Trumpet Daffodil") is the type, and which has pale sulphur-yellow blossoms with a lemon-yellow "trumpet." Some of the finest Daffodils, with large spreading flowers and correspondingly large and deep trumpets, belong to this section, among which may be mentioned _Ard Righ_ or _Yellow King_, _C. W. Cowan_, _Colleen Bawn_, _Emperor_, _Glory of Leiden_, _Golden Spur_, _Henry Irving_, _Hudibras_, _John Nelson_, _Madame de Graaff_ (see Plate 4, fig. 17), _Monarch_, _W. Goldring_, &c. All these have single flowers varying in colour from almost pure white (as in _C. W. Cowan_, _Colleen Bawn_, and _Madame de Graaff_) to deep golden-yellow in many of the other varieties. There are a few double-flowered forms of the "Lent Lily," the best known being _Capax_, lemon-yellow; _grandiplenus_, deep yellow, _plenissimus_, and the Old Double Lent Lily grown in Gerarde's garden over 300 years ago.

="Bicolor" Daffodils.=--Another very fine group of Trumpet Daffodils are those known as "bicolors," so called because the spreading segments are one colour (generally white or creamy), while the trumpet is another colour (usually some shade of soft or deep yellow). Amongst the most popular forms in this group may be mentioned _Ellen Willmott_ (see Plate 4, fig. 16), _Empress, Grandee_, _Horsfieldi_ (see Plate 4, fig. 18), _Mrs. J. B. M. Camm_, _Mrs. Morland Crossfield,_ _Mrs. Walter T. Ware_, _Princeps_ or _Irish Giant, Victoria,_ and _Weardale Perfection_ (see Plate 6, fig. 26).

The "=Star Daffodils=" (_N. incomparabilis_) have spreading starry petals, and a cup or chalice-like corona or trumpet in the centre. They are a very free growing group, the commoner kinds of which (such as _Autocrat_, _Cynosure_, _Stella_) may be naturalised in thousands in the grass, where they may be seen at "a glance tossing their heads in sprightly dance." Some other very fine forms are _C. J. Backhouse_, _Frank Miles_, _Geo. Nicholson_, _Gloria Mundi_ (see Plate 5, fig. 21), _Lulworth_ (see Plate 6, fig. 27), _Mary Anderson_, _Sir Watkin_ (see Plate 5, fig. 23), and _Princess Mary of Cambridge_ (see Plate 5, fig. 21), &c., but there are many others. There are also several double varieties of Star Daffodils, the most common being "Butter and Eggs," _Orange Phoenix_ (or _Eggs and Bacon_) and _Sulphur Phoenix_ (or _Codlins and Cream_).

There are many other kinds of Daffodils which have only one flower on a stem, many of them being natural or artificial hybrids. Space will not permit detailed descriptions, but the following may be looked upon as the best:--_Backhousei_, _Barri_ (with several forms), _Bernardi_, _Burbidgei_, (with several forms), _gracilis_, _Humei_, _intermedius_, _Johnstoni_ (with several forms), _Leedsi_ (with several fine forms), _Macleayi_, _moschatus_ (with several forms, the best being _cernuus_), _muticus_, and _Nelsoni_ (with several forms).

In the foregoing sections the blossoms are all of a fairly large size, and borne on stalks a foot or more high. There is, however a charming group in which the blossoms are in most cases comparatively small and the flower stalks short. These kinds are valuable for planting in bold masses in partially shaded places in the rockery, or in short grass.

_N. cyclamineus_ is a charming little Daffodil. It belongs to the Lent Lily group botanically. The blossoms, however, are much smaller; the segments being lemon-yellow, and abruptly turned back upon the stalk from the orange-yellow cylindrical "trumpet." (See Plate 5, fig. 19.)

_N. minor_ is another miniature form of Lent Lily, with gracefully-twisted sulphur-yellow segments surrounding a deeper yellow spreading "trumpet." The variety _minimus_ is smaller still, with rich yellow flowers, while _plenus_ (or _Rip Van Winkle_) is a double variety.

One kind that differs conspicuously from all others is the "Hooped Petticoat" or "Medusa Trumpet" Daffodil (_N. Bulbocodium_), at one time considered a distinct genus (_Corbularia_). It is a charming species, having bright-yellow flowers, the chief characteristic of which is the cone-like or broadly funnel-shaped trumpet. There are several varieties, such as _citrinus_ (lemon-yellow), _conspicuus_ (golden-yellow), _Graellsi_ (primrose-yellow), _monophyllus_ (snow-white, leaves solitary), _nivalis_, (orange-yellow).

PLATE 27. WATSONIA MERIANA (99) WATSONIA ALBA (100) WATSONIA ANGUSTA (101) MONTBRETIA CROCOSMIAEFLORA (102)

=Polyanthus or Tazetta Narcissus.=--Passing from the Daffodils with solitary flowers on a stalk, we come to a small group in which several blossoms adorn the top of the stem. The most important of these is perhaps the Polyanthus or Bunch Narcissus (_N. Tazetta_) which was well-known to the old Greek and Roman poets, although in a wild state it is met with eastwards across Europe and Asia, to China and Japan. The typical _N. Tazetta_ has 4 to 8 flowers on top of the stem, the spreading segments being pure white and the cup-shaped corona lemon-yellow. There are many varieties, and although the individual blossoms are not very large, they are sometimes produced in much larger numbers than the type. The best-known varieties are the _Scilly White_, _Grand Soleil d'or_, _Grand Monarque_ (Plate 6, figs. 24 and 25), and the _Paper White_--all largely grown in the open air in the Scilly Isles--but rather too tender for out-door cultivation in less favoured parts of the kingdom.

Of late years, a Chinese form (really only _N. Tazetta_) called the "Sacred Lily" or "Joss Flower," has attracted attention, and has been recommended for growing in ornamental bowls, &c., in drawing-rooms, in a compost (if it can be called such) of pebbles and clean water. The common mistake made in growing the Joss Lily in this way is that the plants do not get sufficient light in ordinary rooms, and consequently both leaves and stems are too weak to stand erect.

Other Daffodils with several flowers on a stalk are the Sweet-Scented Jonquil (_N. Jonquilla_), easily recognised by its roundish leaves and rich yellow flowers with a cup-shaped corona. There are several varieties including a double one known as "Queen Anne's Jonquil." The Rush-leaved Jonquil (_N. juncifolius_) with roundish rush-like leaves is closely related, its bright yellow blossoms being distinguished from those of the Jonquil by being fewer and having broader ovate segments.

_N. triandrus_, popularly called "Ganymede's Cup," is a charming little species with 1 to 6 pure-white flowers in which the segments are bent back from the cup-shaped corona. There are several varieties, including a lovely white one (_albus_) called "Angel's Tears," shown on Plate 5, fig. 20. _Concolor_, pale yellow; _calathinus_, white or sulphur-yellow; _pallidulus_, primrose-yellow; while _pulchellus_ has primrose-yellow segments and a white corona.

The bulbs of _N. triandrus_ and its varieties being rather small--half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter--the spots where they are planted should be marked, otherwise they are apt to get lost or destroyed. Until the stock is large they are probably safer grown in pots in cold frames.

As new varieties and hybrids are being added each year, the reader who wishes to grow novelties is advised to consult the bulb catalogues of such firms as Messrs. Barr & Sons, Covent Garden; Messrs. Ware, Feltham; Mr. Hartland, of Cork; Mr. Perry, Winchmore Hill, &c.

=NOTHOSCORDUM fragrans.=--A sturdy North American plant, 1 to 2 feet high, with roundish oblong bulbs, having thick fleshy roots. It is closely related to the Alliums, as may be seen by its umbels of white starry flowers, the segments of which are keeled with lilac on the outside.

This species grows in ordinary good garden soil of a gritty nature, and is easily increased by offsets.

=ORNITHOGALUM= (_Star of Bethlehem_).--Although a large genus, only a few species are considered worth growing, except in botanical collections. The best known representative of the group is probably the Common Star of Bethlehem (_O. umbellatum_), which is now naturalised in copses and meadows in some parts of England, and may be utilised in the same way in large gardens with an abundance of grass-land. The clusters of pure-white starry blossoms appear in May and June, on stalks about 1 foot high, and are keeled with green behind. Very similar in appearance are the flowers of _O. arabicum_, which, however, appear in June and July, and are much larger, sometimes 2 inches across, with golden anthers, and a shining black ovary in the centre, as shown in Plate 29, fig. 107. Unfortunately, this species is rather tender in the colder parts of the kingdom, and should be protected in winter. As an alternative the plants may be grown in pots in cold greenhouses, or in glasses of water in the same way as Hyacinths (see p. 84.) _O. nutans_, the drooping white flowers of which are also shown on Plate 29, fig. 108, is almost as hardy as _O. umbellatum_, and may be naturalised in the same way. _O. arcuatum_ has pure white erect flowers in May and June on stalks 2 feet or more high. _O. pyramidale_, the white flowers of which have a green stripe behind, and are borne on stalks 1-1/2 to 2 feet high in June and July, is another species worth growing in masses in the shrubberies, or in the grass (see Plate 19, fig. 74); and _O. pyrenaicum_, with pale yellow-green flowers may be given similar treatment.

Ordinary well-drained garden soil of a more or less sandy nature will suit the Ornithogalums. They are easily increased by offsets.

=PANCRATIUM.=--Most of the plants in this genus require to be grown in heat and moisture under glass. Two species, however--both with clusters of white sweet-scented flowers on stout stalks 1 to 2 feet high--can be grown in the open air in the milder parts of the British Islands. They are _P. illyricum_ and _P. maritimum_, both natives of Southern Europe. They have large pear-shaped bulbs with a tapering neck 9 to 12 inches long, and consequently require to be planted pretty deeply, say about a foot in September. A well-drained sandy loam and leaf-soil suits them best, and they may be increased by offsets.

=POLIANTHES tuberosa= (_Tuberose_).--Although what are known as African, American, Italian, and Pearl Tuberoses, are usually grown in warm greenhouses, nevertheless the plants may be grown with a fair degree of success in the open air in the milder parts of the kingdom. The thickish bulbs, about 2 inches through, may be planted out about the end of May, only just covering the tops with an inch or two of soil. The thin and narrow leaves will soon appear, and about August the pure waxy-white heavily-scented blossoms will be thrown up on stalks 2 to 3 feet high, that may require a thin stake to keep them erect. There are single and double-flowered varieties, the latter being most popular for cultivation under glass. For this purpose the bulbs may be treated as advised at p. 46.

=PUSCHKINIA scilloides.=--A charming little plant, with ovoid bulbs about an inch through, and narrow leaves about 6 inches long. About March and April the white or very pale blue blossoms appear, and are decorated with a conspicuous deep-blue line down the centre of each segment. Warm sheltered spots in the rock-garden or flower border, and a compost of rich sandy loam and leaf-soil suit this plant best. The bulbs should be planted, 3 or 4 inches deep, in September or October (but not later), and may, if convenient, remain in the same spot for three or four seasons without being lifted. This is best done when the foliage has withered, and will give an opportunity for detaching the offsets to increase the stock.

=SCHIZOSTYLIS coccinea.=--A charming South African plant, 2 to 3 feet high, with the appearance of a Gladiolus in the sword-like leaves. The brilliant crimson blossoms, each about 2 inches across, appear from September to November, and consequently often get spoiled by the weather unless protected. They are excellent for cutting and valuable so late in the season. The plants flourish in rich sandy loam, peat and leaf-soil, and are more satisfactory in the open air in the mildest parts of the kingdom. In other parts they should be planted on a sheltered south border where they can be protected in winter if necessary. Grown in pots, the plants are popular for greenhouse decoration. Increase is effected by dividing the thickish rootstocks in spring.

PLATE 28. GLADIOLUS NANCEIANUS (103) GLADIOLUS LEMOINEI (104) GLADIOLUS CHILDSI (105)

=SCILLA= (_Squill_; _Bluebell_).--The Squills and Bluebells are amongst the most charming of our spring-flowering bulbous plants, and it is astonishing that they are not more extensively utilised for naturalising in the grass, with Snowdrops, Crocuses, Narcissi, Chionodoxas, &c., with which they harmonise so well. Preferring partially shaded spots, they are particularly valuable for planting in woodland walks, and beneath our native trees in parks and pleasure grounds. The hardier kinds require practically no cultivation, and will flourish in any of the places indicated or in ordinary garden soil in the rock-garden or flower border. The best time to plant is about September and October, and as the bulbs are 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, they should be buried about 3 or 4 inches deep, and in hundreds and thousands if possible instead of in twos and threes.

The best-known member of the genus is undoubtedly our Common British Bluebell or Wood Hyacinth (_S. festalis_). It is to be found in abundance in woods and copses, and from April to June sends up its tall stalks of drooping bell-shaped flowers, the colour of which varies from bluish-purple to white or pink, according to the several varieties, such as _alba_, _rosea_, and _rubra_, &c.

Another fine species is the Spanish Bluebell (_S. hispanica_ or _S. campanulata_), perhaps the finest-looking Bluebell in the open air. The ordinary variety has porcelain-blue flowers on stalks a foot or more high. It is surpassed in beauty, however, by its white variety _alba_, which flowers freely and grows vigorously. There are also forms with pink or rosy flowers, such as _rosea_ or _carnea_, _rubra_, &c., all of which appear in April and May.

The species, however, that finds so much favour for autumn planting is _S. sibirica_, a charming species, with purple-coated bulbs, and bright porcelain-blue blossoms with more or less spreading segments. They appear in February and March on stalks 3 to 6 inches high, but are more numerous in the variety called _multiflora_ (see Plate 2, fig. 7). Owing to its early blooming, it is of course a great favourite with other early flowering plants.

Other kinds of Scilla that may be grown in the open air in the same way as those already mentioned are:--The Star Hyacinth (_S. amoena_), which requires rather warm sheltered spots. It has bright indigo blue flowers with spreading segments from March to May. _S. bifolia_ grows 6 to 9 inches high, and produces its bright-blue, bell-shaped flowers in March. There are several forms of it, such as _alba_, white, _rosea_, pale rose, &c. _S. hyacinthoides_, bluish-lilac; _S. italica_, blue; _S. verna_, porcelain-blue; _S. patula_, deep blue with white edges; and _S. monophylla_, with blue or violet flowers, all appearing in April and May.

Quite distinct in appearance from all these is _S. peruviana_, which, by the way, is not a native of Peru, but of the Mediterranean region. It has large, pear-shaped bulbs, and rosettes of leaves 6 to 12 inches long, with bristly margins. The bright blue starry blossoms appear in May and June, and are borne in broadly conical clusters, which elongate during the flowering period. There are white (_alba_) and yellow (_lutea_) varieties, the first-named of which is shown on Plate 17, fig. 69.

This species may be grown in warm sheltered spots in the border or rock-garden, in dryish, well-drained soil. The bulbs should be planted 4 to 6 inches deep, and in cold localities should be protected from severe frosts in winter.

Scillas may be increased by offsets taken from the old bulbs when the foliage has withered.

=SISYRINCHIUM grandiflorum.=--This is the best garden plant out of about fifty species. Like Schizostylis coccinea, it can scarcely be called a "bulbous" plant, as it has only short thickened rootstocks. It grows about a foot high, having striated leaves, and deep purple blossoms (as shown in Plate 20, fig. 79), which, however, are white in the variety _album_. It is an excellent plant for the rock-garden, where it should be planted in bold clumps, in light sandy loam and peat. Increased by division of the rootstocks about September.

=SPARAXIS.=--The plant best known under this name has been already described as _Dierama pulcherrima_ at p. 71. The Sparaxis proper are little known plants, the best known being (i) _grandiflora_, which grows 1 to 2 feet high, and has bell-shaped flowers of deep violet-purple in April and May. There are many colour variations of this species (including a white one), several of them having a deeper coloured blotch at the base of the petals. (ii) _Tricolor_, resembles grandiflora in appearance, but has rich orange-red blossoms with purple-brown blotches on the yellow base of the petals. There are also several forms of this species with white, rose, or purple flowers, all having a yellow centre with distinct blotches at the base of the petals.

These South African plants require the same treatment as _Dierama pulcherrima_ or the Ixias (see p. 89). They like warm sheltered spots in the mildest parts of the kingdom, and when well-grown are very showy and useful for cutting.

PLATE 29. ZEPHYRANTHES ATAMASCO (106) ORNITHOGALUM ARABICUM (107) ORNITHOGALUM NUTANS (108)

=SPREKELIA formosissima= (_Jacobaea Lily_).--A fine Mexican plant, with roundish bulbs 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and narrow strap-shaped leaves 12 to 18 inches long. In the open air the irregular bright crimson blossoms, each about 6 inches across, appear about August, and never fail to attract attention.

Unfortunately, the Jacobaea Lily, of which there are a few colour variations, can scarcely be considered as perfectly hardy in the mildest parts of the British Islands. It often flowers, however, when the bulbs are planted out about the end of May or early in June, when danger from frost is practically over. The flowers often appear before the foliage, but the bulbs should not be lifted in autumn for storing until the leaves show signs of withering. New plants are secured from offsets.

=STERNBERGIA.=--Charming plants, with roundish bulbs about 2 inches in diameter, and strap-shaped leaves, which are in their prime sometimes with the blossoms, as in _S. lutea_, and sometimes long before the latter appear, as in _S. macrantha_. The bulbs should be planted in spring, 5 or 6 inches deep, in rich and well-drained sandy loam and leaf-soil. When in bold clumps the flowers present a charming sight, either in the grass, rock-garden, flower border, or margins of thin shrubberies. All kinds have beautiful crocus-like yellow flowers as shown in Plate 33. _S. lutea_ (fig. 119), variously known as the "Winter Daffodil" and "Yellow Star Flower," is considered to be the "Lily of the Field" mentioned in the Scriptures. It blooms in September and October, the yellow flowers nestling amongst the leaves. There are several forms of it, differing chiefly in the size of the blossoms and width of the leaves. _S. macrantha_ (fig. 120) is a still finer species, with flowers much larger than those of _S. lutea_, with which they appear in autumn. Other species are _colchiciflora_, the bulbs of which are only about an inch in diameter, and the pale-yellow sweet-scented flowers appear in autumn. _S. Fischeriana_ also has bright golden-yellow blossoms, but differs from its relatives in producing them during the spring months--February onwards--instead of in the autumn.

=TECOPHILAEA cyanocrocus.=--This distinct and charming Chilian plant, popularly known as the "Chilian Crocus," has fibrous-coated corms and narrow wavy leaves. The beautiful Violet-scented, funnel-shaped flowers of a brilliant blue, with a white centre, appear in March and April, borne in loose trusses. (See Plate 12, fig. 50.) The variety _Leichtlini_ differs in having deeper blue flowers than the type, and without the white centre.

In the milder parts of the kingdom the Chilian Crocus may be grown in the open air in warm sheltered spots, such as on a south border at the base of a wall or fence. Rich sandy loam and leaf-soil is a good compost into which the corms may be planted, 6 to 9 inches deep, about September. In winter it may be necessary to give protection with litter, bracken, &c., in the event of severe frosts or continuous cold rains. The plants are most readily increased by offsets.

=TIGRIDIA Pavonia= (_Peacock Tiger Flower_).--There are several species of Tiger Flowers, but the one here mentioned, and its several varieties, are the most useful for the out-door garden. They have bulbs 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, and plaited Gladiolus-like leaves. The blossoms, however, one of which is shown on Plate 30, fig. 110, are of exceptional beauty and brilliance amongst bulbous plants, and although they do not last a long time individually, they nevertheless follow each other so rapidly that the plants are scarcely ever without flowers during the summer months. The coloured picture will convey a far better idea as to the colouring and blotching of the flowers than any printed description. There are other varieties of _T. Pavonia_ besides the one shown on the Plate. Perhaps the best are _grandiflora_, very large and brilliant; _conchiflora_, yellow blotched with purple; _Wheeleri_, deep red; and _alba_, pure white spotted with purple.

The Tiger Flowers are natives of Mexico, and therefore cannot be grown successfully in the open air in all parts of the kingdom. In the mildest parts, however, the bulbs may be left in the ground during the winter months, care being taken to protect them with leaves, litter, &c., during severe weather, or from heavy cold rains. In less favoured spots, where they nevertheless blossom out of doors in summer, the bulbs may be taken up about the end of October when the foliage has withered, and they may then be stored in frost-proof places in sand until the following April or May. Whenever the bulbs are lifted the offsets should be detached to increase the stock. The warmest, most sheltered, and sunniest spot in the garden is obviously the best place for Tigridias. In addition to this the soil should be a well-drained sandy loam enriched with old cow-manure and leaf-soil. During active growth, and especially in the hot dry seasons, it is necessary to keep the plants well-supplied with water, otherwise the results are likely to be the reverse of satisfactory.

=TRITONIA.=--This genus contains a handsome group of plants with fibrous-coated corms, like those of a Gladiolus, but much smaller. The plants formerly known as Montbretia are now also included in this genus, but the corms in some cases (e.g., _M. crocosmiaeflora_) have slender creeping rhizomes, from which new corms are developed by the end of the season. The leaves are more or less like those of a Gladiolus, but somewhat narrower, and often curved, while the showy blossoms are borne in slender graceful spikes, that are very useful for cutting.

Only a few species and their numerous varieties are cultivated in the open air, being either massed in bold clumps in the ordinary flower border or rockery, or as beds by themselves in the grass. Being natives of South Africa, warm, sheltered, and sunny situations, and a light loamy soil, enriched with leaf-soil or well-decayed manure, naturally suit them best. Although perfectly hardy in all except the bleakest parts of the kingdom, the kinds mentioned below are best taken up and replanted each year or two in the spring time. It is not, however, essential to lift the corms in the autumn and store them in sand except in very cold parts where protection would be troublesome perhaps. A glance at the drawings on p. 26 will show the reader that offsets are freely produced, and in this way the kinds are most easily propagated.

The kinds most suitable for open air culture are: _T. crocata_ (formerly known under the names of _Ixia_ and _Gladiolus_) grows about 2 feet or more high, having broadly sword-shaped and curved leaves, and spikes of yellow or orange-coloured blossoms in June and July. There is a good deal of variation in the colour, some varieties being much paler or darker than others, and spotted with red, yellow, or brown.

_T. crocosmiaeflora_, better known as _Montbretia_, is a graceful and popular garden plant, really a hybrid between _Crocosma aurea_ (see p. 67) and _T. Pottsi_. It grows 2 to 2-1/2 feet high, and resembles a small Gladiolus in foliage. The brilliant orange-red blossoms appear in great profusion from July onwards to October or November, and are always attractive when grown in bold masses. There are numerous varieties of it--one, _Etoile de Feu_--being shown on Plate 27, fig. 102; others being _Germania_, _Globe d'or_, &c.

_T. Pottsi_, also better known perhaps as a Montbretia, grows 3 to 4 feet high, having narrow tapering sword-like leaves, and bright yellow funnel-shaped flowers suffused with red. They are borne in gracefully nodding spikes from August onwards, and exhibit great variation in colour and markings according to the many varieties that are now in commerce. The plant known as _Tritonia aurea_ is described in this work as _Crocosma_ (see p. 67).

PLATE 30. CRINUM MOOREI (109) TIGRIDIA LILACEA (110)

=TULBAGHIA violacea.=--A pretty little South African plant with narrow leaves and slender spikes of violet-purple flowers, as shown in Plate 32, fig. 113. This species seems to be hardy in the Thames Valley and milder parts, but must be grown in large quantities to produce anything like an effect. It grows well in ordinary well-drained garden soil.

=TULIPA= (_Tulip_).--Although the days of the ridiculous Tulip craze of the seventeenth century have happily passed away, the love of Tulips has increased by leaps and bounds, and thousands are now cultivated where formerly dozens or hundreds were tolerated. Whether grown in lines or circles in formal beds, in irregular clumps in the flower border or rock-garden, or naturalised on grassy banks, Tulips constitute one of the most pleasing and brilliant features in the garden during the spring and early summer months. Indeed, one can hardly imagine what the garden would be like at this period of the year without the beauteous forms and glorious tints of the Tulip. The well-known brown-coated bulbs, 1 to 2 inches in diameter, are now so cheap that they come within the reach of the most modest purse, and there is no reason why Tulips should not be found in every cottage garden in the kingdom.

The culture of the Tulip is quite as easy as that of the common Daffodil. There is one important difference, however, between the Tulip and the Daffodil. While the latter likes partial shade, the Tulip enjoys plenty of sunshine, and shelter from bleak winds. Any good garden soil that has been deeply dug, and enriched with well-decayed manure some time previous to planting will produce fine blossoms. In the open air the bulbs should be planted about 4 inches deep, and not more than 6, even in bleak localities, as a safeguard against frost. The best time for planting is from the beginning of September to the end of October, and care should be taken when planting formal beds to see that the lines are perfectly straight, and the bulbs buried at a similar depth throughout. To secure the latter result a blunt dibber may be used, marked at the required depth with a cross-piece nailed on, or a piece of hoop iron that can be slid up or down to any particular depth. In this way, and by planting each bed with the same variety, uniformity in height, colour, and period of flowering will be secured. In vacant spaces in the flower border and rock-garden, such formality would be out of place, and in such positions mixed Tulips produce a more natural effect.

Although effective in themselves, the beauty of Tulips is greatly enhanced by planting them in beds that are already carefully arranged with such plants as Wallflowers, Polyanthuses, Primroses, Pansies, or Violas, Dwarf Saxifrages, Double White Arabis, (_A. albida flore pleno_), Yellow Alyssum (_A. saxatile_), Forget-me-Nots, Aubrietias, and such like plants that blossom about the same period and make an effective screen to hide the ground between the blue-green leaves of the Tulips. In arranging combinations, it is as well to have the Tulips and carpet plants arranged so that the colour of the one shall be quite distinct and in lively contrast with that of the others.

Thus White Tulips may have Yellow Arabis, Primroses, Polyanthuses, &c., beneath them. On the other hand, red Tulips should not be mixed with red Wallflowers, although they look remarkably effective with yellow ones. And so on, more or less in accordance with the principles laid down at p. 38.

For the benefit of those who take up their Tulip bulbs each year (when the flowers have withered being usually the earliest period for this operation) it may be as well to mention, that the bulb that is lifted about midsummer, is not the same as that planted in autumn. Indeed it is quite a new bulb altogether, and, as a rule, contains all the elements necessary for the production of leaves and blossoms the following season. The Tulip bulb planted in autumn is used up in the formation of leaves and flowers, that are produced in early summer. Whence then comes the bulb that is taken out of the soil when the flowering period is over? It has been made out of the raw material that has been assimilated by the leaves under the influence of sunlight. Very often there is more than sufficient food for the formation of a large flowering bulb, in which case the surplus food is converted into offsets at the base of the large bulb. These offsets, if planted and grown on for two or three seasons in specially prepared beds of light soil, will develop into flowering bulbs. They should, therefore, never be thrown away as useless.

=Seedling Tulips.=--Besides offsets (some of which drop several inches below the parent bulb, and are called "droppers.") Tulips may also be raised from seeds if one has the requisite patience and convenience. When seeds are required, the old plants must of course be left in the soil until the seed capsules have thoroughly ripened. The seeds should be sown very sparsely in drills, in carefully-prepared beds of light soil, and may be left undisturbed for about five or seven years, until the first flowers appear. Of course weeds must be kept down regularly, and to facilitate this operation, the seed beds should not be more than 4 or 5 feet wide, and the drills quite a foot apart.

The first flowers of a seedling Tulip are called "Breeders" or "Mother Tulips" and are of one colour throughout, although the seeds may have been saved from beautifully pencilled or flaked blossoms. When a "breeder" Tulip develops markings of a different colour, it is said to "break" or "rectify." Such rectified flowers are then divided into two groups, (_a_) those with a pure white centre, base, or ground, and (_b_) those with a pure yellow centre.

The white centred flowers (_a_) are again divided into (i) _Roses_, the flowers of which are various shades of pink, rose, scarlet, crimson, cerise, &c., and (ii) _Bybloemens_, the flowers of which display various shades of lilac, lavender, violet, purple, brown, purple-black, &c.

The yellow-centred flowers (_b_) are called _Bizarres_, with various shades of orange, scarlet, crimson, purple-black, brown, &c. These various classes of "rectified" Tulips have the petals either "feathered" or "flamed." A "feathered" Tulip has the petals beautifully pencilled and feathered round the edges only; while a "flamed" Tulip differs in having bright streaks, bands, or flames of a distinct colour shooting up the centre of each petal from the base, and forking out towards the pencilled and feathered margins.

Only specialists in what are called the "florist's Tulip," however, take a keen delight in drawing these distinctions.

There are some hundreds of varieties of Tulips enumerated in nurserymen's catalogues, but it is unnecessary to grow many of them to make an effective display. The following--arranged according to the predominating colour--may be regarded as a good selection for planting in the open ground in autumn:--

=Single Varieties for Planting Out.=--_Red, Scarlet, Crimson, and Pink._--Artus, Bacchus, Belle Alliance, Couleur de Cardinal, Crimson King, Duc Van Thol, Pottebakker, Proserpine, Rose Luisante, Rose Gris de Lin. _Orange, Brownish, and Terra Cotta._--Cardinal's Hat, Duc Van Thol, Leonardo da Vinci, Prince of Austria, and Thomas Moore. _Yellow._--Bouton d'Or (Plate 9, fig. 37), Canary Bird, Chrysolora, Gold Finch, Golden Crown, Mon Tresor, Pottebakker, and Yellow Prince. _White or Blush._--Albion (or White Hawk), Jacht van Delft, White Swan, Grand Duchess, Joost von Vondel, La Reine, Immaculee, and Pottebakker. _Purple and Violet._--Moliere, Purple Crown, President Lincoln. _Red, Pink, Rose, or Violet, with White._--Bride of Haarlem, Cottage Maid, Couleur ponceau, Standard Royal, Wapen van Leiden, Picotee (Plate 9, fig. 36). _Red and Yellow combined._--Brutus, Duchesse de Parma, Keizerskroon.

=Double flowered Tulips.=--_Scarlet and Crimson combined._--Imperator Rubrorum, Rex Rubrorum, Rubra maxima. _Pink and Rose._--Couronne des Roses, Murillo, Raphael, Rose d'Amour, Salvator Rosa. _White._--Alba maxima, Grand Vainqueur, La Candeur, Rose blanche. _Red and Yellow combined._--Duc Van Thol, Gloria Solis, Tournesol, Princess Alexandra. _Orange or Yellow._--Tournesol, Yellow Rose, Miroir.

=Parrot or Dragon Tulips.=--These remarkable looking flowers are supposed to be descended from the curious green and yellow-striped _T. viridiflora_. The petals are cut and jagged into all kinds of peculiar shapes, while the colours are chiefly a mixture of reds, crimsons, greens, and yellows.

PLATE 31. BELLADONNA LILY (111) DIERAMA PULCHERRIMA (112)

=Darwin Tulips.=--These are a very popular class of self-coloured Tulips derived from _T. Gesneriana_. They are in fact "breeder" Tulips referred to on p. 134. The individual blossoms are large and cup-shaped, and are borne on stalks 1-1/2 to 2 feet high. There are numerous named varieties (for which a catalogue should be consulted), but a mixed collection will give a grand display, the colours being shades of apricot, yellow, carmine, rose, pink, crimson, maroon, and white.

With the Darwin Tulips may be associated what are known as the "Cottage" or "May Flowering" Tulips--vigorous kinds with tall stems and fine large flowers, that are admirably adapted for the decoration of the garden. For vases, bowls, &c., they are also excellent.

=Natural Species or Wild Tulips.=--Apart from the almost innumerable florists' varieties of Tulips, keen interest has been taken of late years in the cultivation of the natural species of Tulip which are found growing wild in various parts of South Europe, Asia Minor, Turkestan, &c. There are quite a large number of these natural species now to be had, but the cream of them may be said to be _Gesneriana_, _Greigi_, _macropsila_, and _Oculus Solis_, all with scarlet or crimson blossoms and black blotches at the base. Other useful kinds for bedding out or for naturalising with Daffodils, Bluebells, &c., are _Eichleri_, _fulgens_, _Hageri_, _macrostyla_, _maculata_, _Didieri_, _Ostrowskyana_, _planifolia_, _lurida_, _undulatifolia_, _suaveolens_, all with bright red or deep crimson blossoms except _suaveolens_ which is bordered with yellow. Yellow flowered kinds are _australis_ (Plate 10, fig. 40), _Batalini_, _flava_, _Billietiana_, _galatica_, _neglecta_, _retroflexa_, _sylvestris_, _strangulata_ (speckled and streaked with red), _viridiflora_ (with broad green band down the centre), _Sprengeri_ (petals tipped with red), and _Kolpakowskyana_.

Apart from their value in the garden, Tulips are also popular as cut flowers. As most of them produce their blossoms on sturdy stems 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 feet high, they are easily picked, and when bunched in vases with foliage, or grasses, or even by themselves, they add a luxurious appearance to any apartment.

The great mistake many make in picking Tulip flowers is that they gather them often in the middle of the day when the petals are wide open, especially if there is strong sunshine. In the expanded state the blossoms do not last very long. They should therefore be picked either early in the morning or late in the evening, when the petals are closed in over the stamens and ovary in the centre. There is no need to actually _cut_ the stems. By holding them close to the ground and giving a staccato pull upwards, they come away easily from the bulb, and possess the advantage of being a few inches longer than those cut with a knife or scissors.

=WATSONIA.=--Although popularly called "Bugle Lilies" the Watsonias really belong to the Iris family. They have fibrous-coated corms, stiffish, ribbed, sword-like leaves, and more or less funnel-shaped flowers. They are indigenous to South Africa, and may be grown in the open air under much the same conditions as Ixias, viz., warm, sheltered spots, and in light sandy soil. In the mildest parts of the kingdom the corms may be left in the ground during the winter, if necessary, but they should be protected in severe weather with litter, &c. In less favoured spots, it is safer to lift the corms in autumn when the leaves have withered, and store them in dry soil or sand until the spring.

The varieties depicted on Plate 27, figs. 99 to 101, show some of the most graceful kinds. _W. Meriana_, fig. 99 (also known as _Antholyza_) has several varieties including a scarlet one (_coccinea_), a white one (fig. 100), and a pink and white one (_rosea-alba_), which bear their blossoms during the summer months on stems 2 to 3 feet high. _W. rosea_ resembles a Gladiolus in appearance, and indeed was once known as _G. pyramidatus_. It has several forms, including _angusta_, shown in the plate (fig. 101). Perhaps the most charming variety of all, however, is the beautiful _Ardernei_, the large pure white blossoms of which always attract attention owing to their purity and delicacy (Plate 26, fig. 96).

As a pot plant for conservatory decoration, _W. Ardernei_ is very valuable, owing to its graceful appearance. In the open air it requires warm, sheltered, and sunny positions, and a rich sandy soil.

=ZEPHYRANTHES= (_Zephyr Flower_).--Beautiful plants with small brown-coated bulbs about an inch in diameter, from which spring narrow leaves and rather large funnel-shaped flowers, only one, however, on each stem. There are only a few species that may be grown in the open air in the mildest parts of the kingdom. The soil cannot be too well drained, and should consist of a rich sandy loam, while the position should be the warmest and most sheltered in the garden. The kinds most likely to succeed are _Atamasco_, a native of the damp woods and fields of Virginia. The flowers shown on Plate 29, fig. 106, are at first pure white, but become tinted with pink or purple. _Z. candida_, the "Swamp Lily" of La Plata, has pure white blossoms, as shown on Plate 32, fig. 114, as have also _Treatiae_ and _tubispatha_, while _carinata_ and _rosea_ both have rose-coloured flowers. The average height of these kinds is about a foot, and they may be increased from offsets or from seeds. At one time the Zephyr Flowers were grown in warm greenhouses, but experience has proved that they are much hardier than was at first supposed.

PLATE 32. TULBAGHIA VIOLACEA (113) ZEPHYRANTHES CANDIDA (114) CRINUM POWELLI ALBUM (115) LYCORIS SQUAMIGERA (116)

ENEMIES OF BULBOUS PLANTS.

Bulbous plants are subject to the attacks of various insect and fungoid pests in the same way as other plants are, and steps should be taken to free the plants from them whenever they appear, or to prevent them appearing at all.

It is easier to carry out the latter recommendation when insect enemies only are to be dreaded, but it is quite another matter with fungoid diseases, the presence of which is only revealed when they have reached the "fruiting" or spore stage, and have already done a certain amount of mischief.

=Wireworms, Grubs, &c.=--When a soil is infested with any of these pests, the gardener may be almost sure to find his choicest roots or bulbs eaten by them. He should, therefore, take the precaution to have the ground turned up, if possible, some time before planting, so that these pests may be brought to the surface and exposed to the keen eyes of the "birds in the air" who are always on the watch for any choice morsels that are likely to improve their voices.

It would not be safe, however, to trust altogether to the natural enemies of these pests who are usually endowed with keen powers for evading their attacks. It may be necessary, therefore, to lay traps of pieces of potato, carrot, parsnip, or any fleshy and enticing material in their haunts, and examine them regularly. A piece of stick thrust into these substances will make a convenient handle for lifting them up for examination. The best time of course to catch the enemy is when he is dining off his piece of potato, parsnip, or carrot. He and his friends should then be led forth for execution beneath the weight of the foot, or into a bucket of boiling water, or in any other way that the ingenious reader may devise. The main thing, however, to bear in mind is that the enemy must be _killed_ without mercy or remorse. And no matter how ruthlessly he is persecuted, it will be found each season that there are still some of his family left to carry on a guerilla warfare against the gardener and his plants. So that one must be really always on the watch for attack, and, like a wise general, be ready to meet it, or spoil it altogether.

Besides using traps of potatoes, carrots, &c., _nitrate of soda_ and _kainit_ have been found very useful for ridding the soil of these pests. About 2lbs. of nitrate of soda or kainit to a square rod (30-1/4 square yards) has been found an ample dressing. It should be distributed evenly over the surface of the soil, when the latter is in a moist--but not sodden--condition.

=Lime and Soot.=--Slugs and snails are great marauders among the young growths of bulbous and other plants, and may be kept in check by the use of nitrate of soda, and kainit, as well as by birds. These remedies may be supplemented, or even supplanted, by the use of lime and soot. These substances are always easy to obtain, and will be found of great use not only in keeping the garden free from insect pests, but also because of their manurial value.

When lime is used for checking the attacks of slugs or snails it should be freshly slaked, that is, a little caustic or quick-lime should be broken down into a fine white powdery mass by having a little water poured over it. When the heat has subsided the powdered lime may be sprinkled around and between the crowns of the plants that are being attacked by slugs. Should it come in contact with the slimy bodies of these it will soon kill them. Soot that has been exposed to the air for several weeks will be found a good preventive also against these pests, and it has the advantage of not being so conspicuous amongst the plants as lime. Fresh soot from the chimney should on no account be strewn amongst the young crowns or growths of plants, as the poisonous matters in it may kill them as well as the slugs.

Slaked lime and seasoned soot may be mixed together, and then strewn over the surface of the soil. Even common salt is a good slug destroyer, and may be applied in either a liquid or solid form. Lime-water is also an excellent cleanser, and may be given to the soil freely without injury to the plants. Where large numbers of Daffodils are grown one must keep a watch for the grub of the Narcissus fly (_Merodon equestris_ or _Narcissi_), an insect resembling a small and slender bumble-bee in appearance. It lays its eggs in the early summer months in the Narcissi, and the grubs from these bore their way into the fleshy part of the bulb, damaging the growths and flower stems for next season. When the bulbs are being lifted or planted, any that are soft to the touch are very likely affected, and should be examined for the pest. Any badly affected should be burned. Those not so badly injured may be steeped in water in July or August, for about a week, to drown the maggots which at this period have caused but little mischief. When the perfect Merodon insects are on the wing from about the middle of May to the middle of July they may be enticed to drown themselves in saucers containing strong solutions of sugar or treacle, placed amongst the plants.

Although most birds in the garden may be looked on with a friendly eye, one must make an exception in the case of _Passer domesticus_,--otherwise known as the common sparrow. He will tear your Crocuses--especially the yellow ones--to tatters out of sheer mischief. If he would only eat the petals or make a nest of them there would be some excuse; but no, he simply tears them to pieces and flings them, so to speak, in your face. Mrs. Sparrow is no doubt just as bad, and therefore should have her nest and the eggs therein confiscated and destroyed on every possible occasion. A few strands of _black_ cotton thread stretched over the Crocuses will be found to yield a certain amount of protection against attack.

=Fungoid Diseases.=--Of the fungoid diseases affecting bulbous plants happily there are few; and even these are not troublesome to any alarming extent in the open air.

Snowdrops are sometimes attacked with a kind of mildew known scientifically as _Botrytis galanthina_. The fungus attacks bulbs, leaves, and flower-stems one after the other, and effectually stops the plants from flowering. As soon as this disease is seen on the plants, the affected portions should be carefully picked off and burned. Once the disease reaches the black spot-like stage, there is little hope for the plants so that they had better be burned straight away.

Colchicums, Crocuses, Tulips, Hyacinths, Daffodils, Gladioli, and others are affected from time to time with one fungoid disease or another, probably because the soil in which they grow has not been particularly well-prepared, and is full of some organic matter that can only be disposed of by the addition of freshly-slaked lime, and deep digging at the earliest opportunity. When any of the plants referred to are badly attacked with any fungoid disease, the simplest and best remedy is to burn them--and thus kill the spores and prevent them spreading. It will be cheaper to buy new bulbs the following season, and to grow them in _another_ portion of the garden, rather than try to reclaim the old ones whose doom in any case is only a matter of time.

Perhaps one of the worst diseases affecting bulbous plants is that which for some years past has ravaged plants of the Madonna Lily (_Lilium candidum_). The bulbs seem to be fairly free from the disease, but the leaves and stems become so badly affected in some parts of the country that they cannot perform their functions, with the result that no blossoms are borne, or only misshapen ones. There is at present, I believe, no effectual remedy against the Lily disease, and once it appears in a garden, the culture of the Madonna Lily is doomed from that moment. As a preventive, the plants might be sprayed several times during the season, from January onwards, with a solution made by dissolving one ounce of liver of sulphur in a gallon of hot water, and adding 2-1/2 gallons more of water. This should be applied with a fine-sprayed syringe, and is a good preventive against many kinds of fungoid attacks. If used near white woodwork and comes in contact with it, the paint will be discoloured. Of late years, the bulbs that are imported in such large numbers from Japan have been more or less afflicted with a fungoid disease that appears to be very difficult to check. This disease may be the result of over cultivation, or too intense cultivation to secure large quantities of plants in a comparatively short time. The Bermuda Lily disease is probably the result of similar efforts to get rich too quickly. So that one natural remedy against the disease would be to grow the bulbs more naturally and allow them to ripen fully before disturbing them. However, as people in Europe must have Lilies, they take the best that can be provided. On arrival of the bulbs they should be carefully examined, and any diseased or decayed portions taken off and burned. As a preventive against any spores germinating, the bulbs may be well rolled in freshly slaked lime, and allowed to dry in a cool airy place for a day or two before planting or potting. Mr. Massee, in his book on "Plant Diseases," recommends submerging the bulbs in a 1 per cent. solution of salicylic acid for 20 minutes, and after thoroughly drying them, to kill the spores of the fungus.

PLATE 33. CROCUS MEDIUS (117) COLCHICUM SPECIOSUM (118) STERNBERGIA LUTEA (119) STERNBERGIA MACRANTHA (120) CROCUS OCHROLEUCUS (121) CROCUS SPECIOSUS (122)

A peculiar fungoid disease, known as "basal rot," attacks Daffodils and Narcissi in soil that is cold and heavy or badly drained. It causes the leaves to become brown at the tips, and the bulbs to become rootless and swollen, while the tunics are soft and rotten at the base. The best way to check this disease is to have the bulbs lifted, and if they can only be grown in the same soil again, this should be deeply dug to let the water pass away from it, and some road grit and leaf-soil should be incorporated with it before re-planting. Some freshly slaked quicklime may be afterwards pricked into the top with the fork.

MANURING BULBOUS PLANTS.

When bulbous plants, like Tulips, Hyacinths, Daffodils, &c., are planted and lifted annually, they can hardly be said to require any special manuring during the period of their growth, as the soil in which they are planted is, or ought to be, usually well prepared and manured in advance in the way recommended at p. 16. But even when such bulbs are planted and lifted every year, they might be considerably improved by the application of a little artificial manure at the right time. For instance, in December or January a little _basic slag_ (10 to 20 pounds to about 30 square yards) would supply phosphatic food to roots later on in the season when it would be useful for the development of the blossoms. A little _superphosphate of lime_ at the rate of four to eight pounds to 30 square yards, would also be useful, applied about March or April. _Kainit_ is a cheap potash manure, and may be applied at the same time as the basic slag at the rate of one or two pounds to the same area--either by itself or mixed with the slag.

It contains a good deal of common salt, and should therefore be applied _before_ root-action commences, otherwise it may prove injurious to the new roots.

The necessity for manuring becomes more important in the case of bulbous plants that are to be left in the same soil for several years. Like other plants, of course, they rob the soil of a certain amount of food, and unless this is returned in some way the soil gradually becomes poorer and the plants less vigorous. One of the best ways, perhaps, to supply fresh food for the roots of the bulbous plants is to give the soil a good top-dressing or mulching of well-decayed manure in the early autumn months. This will gradually decay during the ensuing winter and spring months and yield up its food. During this period it will also prevent the heat, that was taken into the soil in the summer, from escaping too rapidly by radiation. It would be more harmful than useful to apply a mulching of manure in the depth of winter or early spring, as it would prevent the sun's rays from warming the roots.

Where Lilies, Tulips, Daffodils, Crocuses, Snowdrops, and many other kinds of bulbous plants are naturalised in the grass, in flower borders, or amongst trees and shrubs, a good dressing of well-decomposed manure in the early autumn will prove highly beneficial each year. The basic slag, kainit, and superphosphate may be also applied at the seasons mentioned, if considered desirable.

Transcribers Note
1. Preface Hynenoclis changed to Hymenocalis
2. Page 50 End of first paragraph word added
"umbels form on the top of the that spring out of the bulb" changed
to "umbels form on the top of the _shoot_ that spring out of the
bulb"
3. Page 56 "three or fours seasons" changed to "three or four seasons"
4. Page 57 "(also known a _Calliprora lutea_)" changed to
"(also known as _Calliprora lutea_)"
5. Page 57 "rose-red to to pinkish-purple;" changed to
"rose-red to pinkish-purple;"
6. Page 110 "when the leaves have begun to turn yellow, Seeds may"
changed to "when the leaves have begun to turn yellow. Seeds may"
7. Page 134 "a large flowering bulbs," change to
"a large flowering bulb,"
8. Page 75 Closing bracket added "(finely figured in "FLORA AND SYLVA")"
9. Throughout ligature [oe] changed to oe
10. Page 175 Madame de Graaf changed to Madame de Graaff
11. PLATE 25 TERMIFOLIUM changed to TENUIFOLIUM to match list of
plates and text.

End of Project Gutenberg's Beautiful Bulbous Plants, by John Weathers

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