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OF PLANTS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD HAVING BULBS, CORMS, TUBERS, OR RHIZOMES (ORCHIDS EXCLUDED) BY JOHN WEATHERS AUTHOR OF ‘fA PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS,” ‘*PRENCH MARKET GARDENING,” ‘* BEAUTIFUL BULBOUS PLANTS,” '* BEAUTIFUL ROSES,” ‘* BEAUTIFUL TREES AND SHRUBS,” ‘‘ BEAUTIFUL GARDEN FLOWERS,” ‘‘SCHOOL, COTTAGE, AND ALLOTMENT GARDENING,” ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1911 LL. CONTENTS ForREWoRDS F é : : * : IntTRODUCTION A i i é ‘ Buips, Corms, Tupers, Ra1zomeEs . ‘ : Functions or Burps, Corms, TUBERS, AND RHIZOMES CoNTRACTILE Roots é . CULTIVATION IN THE OpEN AIR DEPTH oF PLANTING BULBS CULTIVATION UNDER GLAss é ‘ - ‘ Lirtine anp Storine Burss . j : PROPAGATION oF BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS PLANTS . Forcine anD Retarpine Buisous Phants . Buipous anp TuBERoUS Pants ror Cut FLOWERS. Buigous Puants ror CoLD GREENHOUSES AND WINDOW-BoxEs Naturauisinc Buitpous PLants IN GRASSLAND AND SHRUBBERIES Harpy anp Hatr-Harpy BuLBous AND TuUBEROUS PLaNtTs TENDER BuLBous AND TUBEROUS PLANTS ‘ Freaxs or Burpous AND TUBEROUS PLANTS . ‘ CLASSIFICATION oF BuLBous AND TuBEROUS PLANTS. GENERA AND SPECIES DESCRIBED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER PUBLICATIONS QUOTED .AND CONSULTED GLOSSARY . ‘ i i ‘ ; : InpEx 2 : . : : ix FOREWORDS There was a time when bulbous plants of all kinds received the attention of a considerable section of horticulturists. Dean Herbert was the high priest of the cult, among the most notable of his disciples being Wilson Saunders, Joad, Michael Foster, Peter Barr, Sir Charles Strickland, and Max Leichtlin. They collected and cultivated bulbous plants in the same spirit as predominates among the leading fanciers of orchids to-day, But with this difference, there wasn’t any gambling in bulbs. There are, of course, certain kinds of bulbs which rank among the most popular garden plants; but there are scarcely any collectors of species outside botanical gardens. Bulbous plants of the. Lily, Iris, and Amaryllis families are both numerous and varied. Many of them are reputedly difficult to cultwate, yet not more so than orchids used to be. The worst in this respect are the species which grow naturally in intense sunshine and have a definite period of dry rest. Such are many of the Crinums, Buphanes, and the Xiphiod Irises. Years ago, bulb fanciers would meet and discuss the merits and requirements of their favourites in the most enlightening and stimulating manner. But how many of the present-day cultivators show any inclination to do this? The plants are out of favour, pre- sumably because they are not easy to manage, an objection that is generally dissipated by a better knowledge of the essential requirements. Gardening that is worthy of the name has higher avms than the cultivation of the vulyar crowd of plants which anybody can manage. The development of orchids as yarden plants may be taken as a proof of what can be accomplished by persevering experiment. Such genera as Lilium, Gladiolus, Tulipa, Narcissus, Hyacinthus, Crocus, Iris, Galanthus, Hippeastrum, and Nerine have been to a large extent conquered by the arts of cultivation and breeding; and there xi F FOREWORDS are many more which by the application of the same arts would yield equally successful results. For example, there is an almost unworked mine of wealth in Crinum, Watsonia, Cyrtanthus, Hemanthus, Hymenocallis, Phedranassa, Zephyranthes, Ornitho- galum, and Oxalis, genera that are particularly rich in species of horticultural merit. They and many others are practically unknown only because they have never had their opportunity. It is only recently that Freesia, Lachenalia, and Nerine have caught the popular eye ; and the oldest of us can remember the advent of Narcissus as the glory of the British garden in spring. Mr Weathers’ book is, in my opinion, a praiseworthy attempt to open up the bulb world to the horticultural explorer. During his many years’ service at Kew, Mr Weathers had exceptional opportunities to acquire a knowledge of the contents of the large collection there, and the notes and drawings then and afterwards made he has now turned to useful account. I take the liberty to recommend his book to all cultivators who take an intelligent interest in plants that are attractive, either in floral characters, habit, or peculiarities of form— qualities which are prominent in the majority of the species which he has described and figured. W. WATSON. xii INTRODUCTION THE cultivation of all kinds of plants having bulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes is now so extended that a volume devoted entirely to this important phase of Horticulture may be looked upon almost as a necessity. Coming as these plants do from all parts of the world, it requires no little skill on the part of the gardener— professional as well as amateur—to succeed in their cultivation. The inclusion of tuberous and rhizomatous plants in this volume makes it more comprehensive than if it were confined to bulbous plants proper, all of which belong to one of the two great groups of flowering plants known as Monocotyledons. As almost any plant with a swollen root-stock or thickish creeping roots is called “bulbous” in popular parlance, plants with such peculiarities have been considered in the present work. In this way about fifty different natural orders of flowering plants alone have been included; and these fifty orders include over four hundred different genera, and some three thousand different species and varieties. It will thus be seen that even in this age of specialities, the bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants form quite a respectable, if not indeed an extensive group by themselves. Considering these plants from a geographical point of view, it will be noticed by a reference to their native countries that they not only come from every part of the globe—from the tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions—but also from the highest altitudes and the lowest plains. In such a range of bulbous vegeta- tion, many temperatures, climatic differences, and soil variations naturally exist. The gardener therefore has to make himself more or less acquainted with the peculiar requirements of any particular plant, if he wishes to achieve anything like success. He must recognise that a plant from the tropics is not necessarily a subject to be grown in.a hothouse or a greenhouse, unless if comes from the plains, or is found only at low elevations. Many mistakes xiii INTRODUCTION have been made in the past because the various altitudes at which plants grow naturally were either unknown or were ignored. Thus it happened that plants from the tops of the Andes of Ecuador, Colombia, or Peru, although within the Tropic of Capricorn and beneath an equatorial sun, were found to die with warm house treatment, while they flourished under a temperate or almost hardy regime. The proper temperature, etc., for a plant in cultivation may be therefore more easily gauged if the gardener possesses accurate information as to the condition in which it grows in a state of nature. Owing to these variations of altitude and temperature, it has become necessary to divide bulbous plants into four main groups, namely: hardy, half-hardy, greenhouse, and hothouse or stove. In the following pages under each genus such particulars as to the native habitat of each species are given as will enable the gardener to arrive at a decision as to the temperature most likely to suit his plants. While temperature of course plays an important part in plant cultivation, the questions of soils, moisture, drought, etc., have also to be considered. Here again a knowledge of the local natural surroundings will give one a fairly good idea as to what compost should be used, and whether much or little water is to be given. A plant that grows naturally in a peaty or marshy soil would be likely to flourish in a similar compost, but would in all probability die in a very short time if planted in heavy clay or coarse sand, although it might do fairly well in a moist loamy soil. On the other hand, plants from desert regions where sandy wastes abound will probably require a hot, dryish atmosphere, although they may enjoy moisture at the root during the period of active growth. Others again from the lower elevations of tropical regions can scarcely be given too much heat and moisture in conjunction with a rich and unctuous soil. To enable the gardener. to judge which set of conditions is most likely to suit any particular group of bulbous or tuberous plants, this volume has been specially written, and the author hopes that it may prove itself worthy of frequent reference on the part of the intelligent cultivators in all parts of the British Islands. A glance at the page of Contents will give the reader a kind of bird’s-eye view of the scope of the work. In the descriptive portion the various genera and species have been dealt with in alphabetical order, as it is probably the most generally convenient. Those plant- lovers, however, of a studious or analytical turn of mind, will find xiv IMSEULUCLLVYEe CHALAULEL, It is also hoped that the numerous drawings (many of which are reproduced from sketches made twenty-three and twenty-four years ago) will serve a similar purpose, and help to make clear any little obscurities in the text. With a view to encouraging still further research, references to coloured plates and good figures in standard botanical and horticultural works have also been added after the descriptions of many species and varieties. JOHN WEATHERS. THE BULB BOOK BULBS, CORMS, TUBERS, RHIZOMES OvtsipE the ranks of botanists and skilled gardeners, much uncertainty and no little confusion prevail as to what constitutes a bulb, a corm, a tuber, or a rhizome. It may be well therefore to say a few words about each, with a view to making things plainer in regard to these matters. BULBS.—A bulb is a special kind of bud bearing a number of thickened fleshy or scaly leaves closely packed together and seated upon a flattened compressed or disc-like woody stem, from the under- surface and edges of which roots are produced during growth.— Examples of true bulbs that will fit this description may be seen in the Onion, Tulip, Hyacinth, Daffodil, Snowdrop, Squill, the Snowflakes, ’ and many others. In most cases the fleshy leaves are rolled round each other; the bulbs are then said to be twnicated. In the case of the Liliums, however, in which the thickened leaves are overlapping each other in a spiral fashion round the main axis, the bulbs are said to be scaly or imbricated. The drawings will give a good idea as to the difference between “tunicated” and “imbricated” or “scaly bulbs.” Figs. 1 to 3 represent the former; Fig. 4 represents the latter. CORMS. ae are often described as “solid” bulbs, owing to the fact that in many cases they bear a superficial resemblance to bulbs proper. In many cases, however (¢.7., the tuberous Begonia and the Cyclamen), the term “corm” is very loosely and erroneously used when speaking of the tubers of these plants. The one obvious difference between a true bulb and a true corm is, that the latter is yuite solid, and has neither tunicated, imbricated, nor scaly leaves seated on a compressed disc-like stem, a section of which is shown in Fig. 1. The corm is a rounded or flattish stem on which traces of the leaf-stalks or bases may be seen. Another great difference 1 A THE BULB BOOK between the bulb and the corm consists in different methods of growth. Many bulbs will grow for years and produce numerous offsets. Corms, however, dwindle away and shrivel up each year after having yielded up their store of nourishment for the pro- duction of new flowers and leaves; and their place is taken Fic. 1.—Galtonia candicans, bulb section ofsame. (4.) Fic. 2.-Scilla stbtrica, eross and vertical sections of bulb. Fie. 4.—Imbricated or scaly bulb of Lilium Fic. 3.—Nothoscordum, bulb and section. candidum. a by quite new corms, which have been developed by the action of the leaves in the daylight. Thus, the corms of Crocus (Fig. 5.: and Gladiolus (Fig 6), etc. that are put into the soil are not ¢ e same as those that are taken up after growth has ceased. Theil; are quite new vegetative creations. Although corms and bulbs differ from each other in structure an 2 BULBS, CORMS, TUBERS, RHIZOMES vegetation, it is remarkable that both of them are confined to one particular class of flowering plants—that known botanically as Monocotyledons. These are plants that are easily recognised by having (1) leaves with parallel or curvilinear veins; (2) the parts of the flowers (ze, the petals, Fic. 5.—Crocus, showing new corm on top Fia. émiiladisies, two new corms over old of old one. one, with ‘‘ spawn” at base. stamens, and carpels) arranged in three’s or six’s; and (3) when raised from seed, by having only one seed-leaf. If these characteristics are borne in mind there will be no difficulty in distinguishing a true bulb or a true corm. TUBERS.—A tuber may be described as a short and more or less thickened or swollen shoot or stem furnished with “eyes” or buds. Fic. 7.—Ozulis crenata. Fic. 8.—Tropeolum tuberosum. (4.) EXAMPLES OF TUBERS. Good examples are seen in the Potato and the Jerusalem Artichoke; others are the tuberous Begonia, the Cyclamen, the Anemone, Ranun- culus, Aconite, the Arum Lily, Caladium, some Tropeolums, etc. The Dahlia and herbaceous Peony are examples in which the true roots are swollen and of a tuberous nature, but they contain no vegetative buds. These are borne at the base of the old flower-stems, portions of which should be always retained when the plants are lifted and stored away. Examples of oe shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. THE BULB BOOK It should be noted that while all true bulbs and corms are confined to the Monocotyledons, tuberous plants have a much wider range. They are to be found not only amongst Monocotyledons, but also amongst the other great group of flowering plants known as Dicotyledons. These are generally recognised by having (1) net-veined leaves; (2) parts of the flower (ze, the sepals, petals, stamens, carpels) in four’s or five’s, or multiples of them; (3) and when raised from seed, by having two seed-leaves. An apparent con- Fic. 10.—Seedling Cyclamen, showing aberration Fic. 9.—Richardta ethiopica. (}.) from ordinary dicotyledonous type. tradiction to this arrangement is seen in the seedlings of Cyclamen, as shown in the sketch (Fig. 10). When the seeds first germinate, only one seed-leaf is apparent; later, a second one much smaller than the first appears, and with advance in age one leaf succeeds another rapidly until the top of the tuber is furnished with a good supply. RHIZOMES.—A rhizome is a shoot or stem that grows more or less horizontally, and usually beneath the surface of the soil. Many plants have rhizomes, some thickened and somewhat tuberous, others slender. Good examples of plants with thick rhizomes are the German and Florentine Irises or “ Flags” (Fig. 11), and Solomon’s Seal (Fig. 12); while the Lily of the Valley (see Fig. 99, p. 149) may be taken as an example of a plant with slender rhizomes. In the Tritonia or Montbretia (Fig. 13) we have an example of plant in which both corms and rhizomes are developed. It will be seen from the sketch that the corms are not actually placed upon each other as in the Crocus and Gladiolus, but are separated by a kind of runner-like rhizome, some joints of which swell into a corm if sufficient nourishment has heen elaborated by the leaves. ‘ BULBS, CORMS, 'TUBERS, RHIZOMES While it is easy in many cases to distinguish the true bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes, there are instances in which the swollen Fic. 11.—Rhizomes of German Iris. (4.) portion of the plant seems to be intermediate between one or the other. The root- stock of the Tigridias or Tiger Flowers, for example, is called a “corm,” but a reference to Fic. 12.—Rhizomes of Solomon’s Seal. (4.) Fig. 14 shows that it is more like an ordinary tunicated bulb. Fic. 18.—Corms and rhizomes of Tritonta (Montbretia) crocosemiflora. (4.) The root-stocks of Erythro- nium (Fig. 15), Colchicum (Fig. 16), and Bulbocodium (Figs. 17 and 18) are also known as corms. It will be seen, however, that Fia. 14.—Tigridia, bulb and section of same. (%.) the vegetation of these plants is not like that of the Crocus or 5 THE BULB BOOK Gladiolus. The new corms, instead of developing on top of the old ones, are produced at a lower depth from a downward growth. Fia. 15.—Corm or bulb of Erythronium, showing Fra. 16.—Corm of Colchicum, showing new new lower growth to right. growth to left. In this way there is no likelihood of the new corms coming too near the surface to be injured by frost, etc. Fras. 17, 18.—Corm and section of Bulbocodium, showing new lower growths at side. This volume is devoted to those plants which have either bulbs, corms, tubers or tuberous roots, and rhizomes, and therefore embraces many families of flowering plants (both Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons) from all parts of the world. Orchids—a large and important family requiring a volume to themselves—are excluded. FUNCTIONS OF BULBS, CORMS, TUBERS, AND RHIZOMES Apart from the plants described in this volume being characterised by having either bulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes, they all agree in one important respect—they are all herbaceous plants and they are all perennial. That is to say, oe aérial parts (flower-stems and FUNCTIONS OF BULBS, CORMS, ETC. leaves) are soft and herb-like in texture, and there is nothing woody about them as seen in trees and shrubs, and their underground organs may live for several years. The possible exceptions are Beschorneria and Testudinaria, which have swollen woody bases. It will prevent misunderstanding to state that perennial herbaceous plants' may be divided into various groups. Thus they may be either (1) hardy, (2) half-hardy, or (3) tender—each group requiring different culture, treatment, and temperature. Again, herbaceous perennials may be either (1) deciduous, in which the floral stems and leaves die down every year, and the root-stock has a period of rest (asin Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Begonias, Ponies, Solomon’s Seal, Arum Lilies, etc., etc.); or they may be (2) evergreen, in which the plants are always in a state of growth, and have foliage at all periods of the year (as with Pancratiums, many Crinums, some Irises, etc.). It may be well to bear these distinctions in mind, as there is a popular and consequently erroneous impression that a// herbaceous plants are hardy and die down to the ground each year. We may now consider why certain plants are provided with bulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes. We have already seen that the normal stem has been reduced in the case of the bulb to a very small compass—a mere disc-like mass with the thick fleshy leaves densely arranged upon it. Ifa bulbofa Tulip, Hyacinth, or Daffodil is cut through vertically and compared with a ripened bud of a Horse-chestnut, Lilac, or Ash, it will be seen that they are all very similar in structure. In the centre will be found the miniature flower -stem with its incipient blossoms packed away into the smallest possible compass, and carefully protected with the envelop- ing scales — really leaves specially modified for this particular purpose. In the case of bulbs, however, which are detached and independent bodies (unlike the buds of the Horse-chestnut, etc.), the scale leaves are not only protectors ; they are also storehouses in which food and nourishment have been stored away by the green aérial leaves before these withered and died. The corm or solid “bulb,” and also the tuber and rhizome utilise the stem, and not modified leaves, in which to store up their nourishment in the same way for the development of future growth. Consequently, season after season this work is going on, and as the older storehouses 1“ Annuals” and “Biennials” of all kinds are necessarily herbaceous in character, but are not considered in this volume, as they have neither bulbs, corms, tubers, nor rhizomes. ' THE BULB BOOK (either as bulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes) decay and die, they are replaced by new ones. If it were not so, especially in our climate, there would be great danger in many cases of the plants dying out altogether—especially as many of them are difficult or impossible to raise from seeds. When there seems to be any risk ofa plant being unable to reproduce itself readily by means of seeds, Nature has endowed it with the power of multiplying itself in other ways which are considered under the Chapter on “ Propagation.” The point to bear in mind, however, at present is that the new bulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes underground can only be produced by the healthy assimilative action of the leaves, and the absorptive powers of the roots. CONTRACTILE ROOTS In connection with the annual reproduction of new corms in such plants as Crocus, Gladiolus, etc. it is interesting to notice a very extraordinary action of the roots. During the period of growth if a corm of a Gladiolus or Tritonia (Fig. 19) be taken out of the ground carefully it will be noticed that there are two kinds of roots present—(1) the fibrous feeding or absorbing roots, and (2) thicker ringed roots. The latter play a very important part in keeping the new corms at a proper distance beneath the surface of the soil. It is obvious that by the superposition of the new corms on top of the old ones year after year, there would be a danger eventually of them coming through the surface of the ground. They would thus be exposed to the dangers of frost, etc. It is well known, however, Fic. 19.—fritonta Pottst, showing new corms that neither corms nor bulbs no and contractile roots. matter how many years they have been in the soil, ever come through the ground. On the contrary, they seem to bury themselves deeper and deeper, thus keeping away from the frost, and in surroundings several degrees warmer than the soil immediately at the surface. CULTIVATION IN THE OPEN AIR Corms and bulbs are kept down in the soil in this way by means of special roots called “contractile.” These are the thickish ringed roots referred to and shown in the sketches (sce Figs. 3, 6, 14, 19). It appears that when the new corms or bulbs have developed fairly well, these contractile roots have already pushed their way deeper into the soil, lower than the older corms. In due course they begin to contract, and in this way they exert sufficient force to pull down the new corms to a lower level, perhaps even lower than the parents were the previous season. The marvellous. power possessed by these contractile roots is one of the most mysterious functions of bulbous plants, and it is only another instance showing how carefully and beautifully everything was thought of “at the beginning.” CULTIVATION IN THE OPEN AIR SOILS AND COMPOSTS If this volume were confined to the consideration of hardy plants alone, it would be a comparatively simple matter dealing with the soil, But as we are dealing not only with hardy plants that may be always grown in the open air, but also with those that must be sheltered in a greenhouse and hothouse and are often grown in pots, it becomes necessary to take a wider view of the subject, treating the outdoor cultivation and the indoor separately. Generally speaking, most of the hardy bulbous, tuberous, and rhizomatous plants (of which a list is given at p. 32) will flourish in any well-drained, deeply dug or trenched and well-manured garden soil. Indeed, some like the tuberous Sunflowers, the Bocconias, the Aconites, Doronicums, Hemerocallis, etc., will grow in any but the very worst sour and swampy soil, so vigorous is the action of their roots. Advantage may be taken of such coarse or free-growing plants to improve soil that is generally regarded as poor and infertile. They will find not only nourishment in it, but owing to the action of their rapidly spreading roots, they bring about a much better condition of the impoverished soil after a season or two of growth. No one, however, wishes to be saddled with poor and hungry or swampy soil if better,can be had. The ideal garden soil is one called loam—a fairly well-balanced mixture of clay and sand, with a fair amount of humus (or ae organic material), and a certain THE BULB BOOK proportion of lime. Such a soil will be easy to dig or trench; will retain a sufficient amount of the necessary moisture without becoming water-logged with sour and stagnant liquid; and will give generally good results. According to the different kinds of plants grown, however, it may have to be modified in places to meet certain peculiarities, Thus, the addition of more peat or leaf soil may be necessary for some plants, while more sand, grit, loam, or clay may be required for others. For true bulbous plants, anything savouring of wet, heavy, clayey soil is unsuitable. It is cold, wet, and stodgy, and very difficult to turn over. But if bulbous plants are to be grown in such a soil, turned over it must be, and that to a depth of 2 or 3 feet into the bargain. To bring a heavy, wet, clayey soil into anything like a proper tilth, it should be trenched about 3 feet deep, bringing the soaked and soddened bottom soil to the surface, there to be relieved of its sour and superfluous moisture, and to have its clods and particles sweetened and broken down by exposure to the weather. Very few people possess the courage to do this; and the great majority—speaking with all the confidence of those who have never done such a thing—will at once condemn the operation as being unsound both in theory and in practice. Rather than do it once, they prefer to be troubled for years with a cold, wet, and hungry subsoil that robs the upper layer of all its heat and most of its value for growing purposes. Bulbous or other plants on such a miserable soil reflect its condition in their own wretched appearance. Where, however, a wet or clayey soil has been deeply trenched, and has had a good supply of manure, and grit or sand incorporated with it, a wonderful improvement takes place even in a few months. The superfluous water trickles downwards to the lower regions and no longer steals the sun’s heat from the roots of the plants; the temperature is consequently raised, and this in turn reacts upon the tender living material (the protoplasm in the tips of the roots of the plants). The grit will absorb the heat from the sun, and the clayey particles and manure will hold it between them and prevent its rapid radiation at night-time. The gases of the atmosphere—the oxygen, nitrogen, and carbonic acid—will enter more readily into the soil, and in conjunction with the rain and moisture will dissolve the mineral and metallic food so necessary for the growth of plants. By day and by night the temperature of a heavy soil treated in the way mentioned will be more equable, being -neither too hot nor too cold, nor too wet or too dry. Another advantage is that there will be comparatively 10 CULTIVATION IN THE OPEN AIR few weeds, and if the hoe is kept fairly well in use, there will be little or no trouble from insect pests. An improvement in a wet, heavy soil may be accelerated by the addition of quicklime to the surface after trenching and manuring About a bushel of quicklime may be spread in small heaps over every 30 square yards of ground. Each little heap should be covered with some of the wet soil and left for about ten days. During this time the moisture from the soil will be absorbed by the lime, which thus becomes slaked and powdery. It is then easy to spread the heaps of soil and slaked lime evenly over the surface, but not dug in. As time goes on the lime gradually dissolves and sinks into the soil, and, coming in contact with the buried manure, liberates fresh food, and encourages the development of those mysterious soil bacteria which are so essential to good cultivation. Whenever a new garden is being started, or where it is intended to renovate an old one and do things properly, it will be found best to adopt the practice of deep cultivation. All surface weeds and rubbish can be easily disposed of by burying them in the trenches as the work proceeds—the rank, green, and undecayed refuse being put at the very bottom, the best-rotted material being retained for placing in the last trench near the top. Once a garden soil has been treated somewhat in the way indicated, there will be no necessity to disturb it so deeply again for some few years. Indeed it would be impossible to do so when once it is cropped with bulbous and other plants that are to remain for years. In the case of old gardens and old flower-borders, however, that have become overgrown with plants, and in which the upper soil has become more or less exhausted, the best thing to do is to have all plants and bulbs taken out, preferably in early autumn, and then have the ground deeply trenched and manured, bringing the under- soil to the surface, and placing the top spit beneath to give it a rest and time to recuperate its lost strength. DEPTH FOR PLANTING BULBS In the following pages it will be noticed that the usual sizes or diameters of most of the bulbous plants are given, and that these vary from } inch to 2, 3, 4, or more inches. So far as planting bulbs that are to be grown under glass is concerned there is practically no question of depth involved, as they are nearly all so placed in the 11 THE BULB BOOK soil that the tops are either level with the surface, slightly below it, or a little above it. In the case of hardy bulbs, however, that are grown in the open air and are planted in the autumn, the conditions are not identical. There is no protection from frost on the surface of the soil, and rats and mice and other marauders would more easily destroy bulbs on or near the surface. The main point involved, however, is one of protection from frost. As the bulbs vary so much in size, some being very small and some very large, it becomes necessary to plant them at various depths, according to their size. It would never do to plant a Crocus corm or Snowdrop bulb so deeply as the large bulb of a Lilium. But how is one to know the proper depth for the many kinds of bulbs in cultivation? By the adoption of this simple rule:—Plant a bulb, corm, or tuber in the open air at a depth about equal to three times its own diameter; or, in other words, cover the bulb, corm, or tuber with twice its own depth or diameter of soil. CULTIVATION UNDER GLASS Although the preparation of the soil for the reception of outdoor hardy bulbous and tuberous plants may entail a good deal of time and labour at first, it is easy when compared with the trouble and expense of cultivating plants in greenhouses and hothouses. Here the soil has to be brought from a distance, and the wise gardener will make arrangements to have stacks of good turfy loam (the top spit from a piece of pasture land), peat, and leaf-mould always at hand; in addition to which there should always be a good supply of sharp silver or river sand available. Different sizes of pots and pans must also be purchased ; and sieves or riddles of 4-inch, 4-inch, and 1-inch mesh will also be handy for sifting and mixing the various composts that will be required from time to time. The operations of growing plants in pots or even in borders or beds of soil under glass are much more intricate and detailed than those in the open air. The pots or other receptacles used should be quite clean to begin with, when any fresh potting is necessary. Pots that have been in use for a year or two often become covered with a greasy slime on the outside. This makes them not only unsightly, but also difficult to handle; besides which the passage of air through the pores of the burned clay is rendered difficult or impossible, This means a certain amount of harm to the roots , 12 CULTIVATION UNDER GLASS of the plants, which require to have as much fresh air at their disposal for breathing purposes as the stems and leaves. Karthen- ware pots, etc., therefore, should be kept fairly clean, and this can only be done by washing them. In a garden, boys are generally utilised for the purposes of “ potwashing,” as well as other multifarious duties unsuitable for men. The usual method is to soak the dirty pots for a few hours or days in tubs or tanks of water. This loosens the slime and dirt, and it is then more easily removed with a fair amount of “elbow grease” and a scrubbing brush. In my young days in the nursery even a scrubbing brush was not provided, and the dirt had .to be removed with a piece of old matting and some ashes from the ashpits. To wash 1000 3-in. pots (60’s) or 800 5-in. pots was considered a fair day’s work from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M., and stand them out to dry into the bargain. Potwashing is just as simple now as then, but the same importance is not attached to it—especially in market nurseries. In these a “rub round” with a wisp of hay or old matting is often sufficient except for some of the choicer crops. Potwashing-machines, however, are now in existence, and are used in some establishments, private and otherwise. Crocking Pots.—This is another more or less essential operation when growing plants in pots. It consists in placing a layer of broken pieces of pots in the bottom of the pots, over a larger and flatter piece known technically as a “stopper.” This stopper should be as flat as possible, but many gardeners like to have it curved with the convex side uppermost. The object of a flat stopper is to make it more difficult for worms to get into soil from the hole in the bottom. The presence of worms is most undesirable, owing to the runs or channels they make in the soil, and through which the water passes freely without wetting the main body of compost. Therefore a flat stopper is much more likely to keep them out than a curved one; and this is a point worth considering when plants are placed on earthen beds or stages, or in the open air for a time. The main object of crocking pots is, of course, to secure adequate drainage for the soil. Unless the water is allowed to pass away freely, it would remain in the soil, and after a few more waterings had taken place, the hole in the bottom of the pot would become silted up and blocked. The result would be that no more fresh air could enter the soil, and this would become soured and 1 .isonous to the roots of the plants owing to the fetid stagnant moisture and decaying organic material. It is an easy matter to see rt the drainage of a pot is 13 7 THE BULB BOOK imperfect. The water, instead of passing through the soil readily, will remain for hours on the upper surface, waiting to be evaporated by the heat of the atmosphere. Unless the bad drainage is soon rectified, the plants show signs of suffering, and if they could only speak, we should hear constant wailing from many badly watered plant-houses in the Kingdom. The lower leaves being the oldest, soon begin to assume a yellowish tint, and later on they drop off one by one until the youngest leaves and buds only are left. These too will soon give up the struggle if the drainage is not put right. Watering—The question of drainage is naturally bound up with that of watering. In the open air, as a rule, plants have to be satisfied with the moisture obtained from the clouds, and this may vary according to the district from twenty-five hundred tons to eighty hundred tons of water per acre in the course of the year, as stated at p. 31. With indoor plants, however, the case is different. The rain cannot fall upon them or upon the soil; moisture must therefore be supplied in other ways. Water-tanks are usually built in the glass-houses, and the water is either laid on, or pumped from wells by windmills, or gas or oil engines. The actual application of water to the plants is usually by means of water-pots, although hose- pipes are often used in large commercial establishments, and are a great saving of time, labour, and money. Watering plants with the hose has the drawback that individual plants may be over- looked now and again, or if water-logged are apt to get more than is good for them. When water-pots, however, are used, it takes much longer to get through with the work. The careful gardener looks at every plant, and his experienced eye will enable him to judge at once whether water is required or not. If he is not quite sure, he will either feel the surface soil with his fingers, or ring the pot with his knuckles. A more or less clear and hollow sound will indicate a dry soil, while a dull and less audible sound will denote that the soil is already moist enough for the time being. Generally speaking, when the soil is inclined to be dry it is given a good supply of water right up to the rim of the pot, pan, tub, or other receptacle holding the plant. If the gardener judges the soil to be wet enough to last until the next time the operation is due, no water is given to the plant. Picking out the wet and dry plants in this way necessitates care, attention, and keen observation 14 CULTIVATION UNDER GLASS on the part of the gardener, and obviously occupies much more of his time than watering all over the plants with a hose would. The safe rule to follow when watering is—when dry, give a plant plenty; when wet enough to last till next time, give none. By following this rule, the plants will be kept in good health and a steady rate of growth. With bulbous and tuberous plants perhaps a little more care and knowledge of their individual peculiarities are necessary than with fibrous-rooted ones. Many bulbous and tuberous plants require a period of rest at some particular period of the year. The gardener knowing this period, watches its approach and regulates his supplies of water accordingly. As the plants show signs of going to rest by the yellowing of the leaves and their gradually falling away, watering becomes less frequent, and more air and light are given to the plants to hasten the ripening process. Again, after the resting period is at an end, and the bulbs or tubers show signs of new life, the plants will require more and more water until they are in the full vigour of their growth. It is this continual and gradual change from the active to the dormant state, and vice versd, that requires to be taken into consideration when giving water to the plants. Syringing.—Besides supplying water properly to the roots of plants it is often necessary to apply it also to the stems and foliage, more especially perhaps with stove or hothouse plants, and in a lesser degree to greenhouse plants. It is well known that the drier the atmosphere the greater the amount of moisture evaporated from the millions of pores or stomata on the leaves of plants. Conversely, the more heavy laden the air is with moisture, the slower will be the evaporation from the leaf surfaces. According, therefore, to the humidity of the atmosphere surrounding stove and greenhouse plants will the operation of syringing be regulated. In hot dry weather it may be necessary to syringe three or four times a day, in addition to damping down the pathways and stages of the house. During the winter months, however, and during cold or dull spells of weather, there will not be the same necessity for so much syringing. The gardener, therefore, who wishes to grow his plants well under glass must be a kind of meteorologist or weather-prophet, and vary his work according to circumstances. What he does one day, and would be perfectly correct in doing, may be altogether wrong the next day, simply because the weather conditions were totally different. 15 THE BULB BOOK The main object of using the syringe is to counteract the process of evaporation that is going on unseen to the naked eye from the leaf stomata. “Unseen” is perhaps scarcely accurate, for it becomes obvious on a hot day (even when the soil around the root is quite moist) that unless the syringe is used to moisten the air, the leaves soon begin to droop. Why is this? Simply because the cells are being emptied by evaporation of the water that has been supplied to them by the roots. It may therefore happen, and frequently does happen, that the leaves of a plant will give off moisture much more quickly than the roots can absorb it from the soil. In such cases, therefore, it becomes not only necessary to syringe the foliage freely, but also to lessen the amount of sunshine by shading the glass with canvas, or smearing it with whitewash or other mixtures used for the purpose. There are now many syringes on the market, but it is advisable to have those that give a fine mist-like spray, and are provided with suitable nozzles and bends. The finer the spray, the more perfect is the wetting of the foliage; and if insecticides or fungicides are used under other conditions, the more economically and effectively will they be distributed with a good syringe. A secondary advantage of syringing plants is that the foliage is kept clean from dusty or sooty deposits. These if allowed to remain too long, block up the breathing pores (stomata) to a great extent, and thus interfere with the absorption of carbonic acid gas from the atmosphere during the daytime, as well as with the exhalation of oxygen from the tissues. Dust, dirt, or any other foreign deposit on the leaves and stems of plants, not only render breathing difficult, but as the supply of light is also diminished by their presence, the work of assimilating the food from the air and the soil is greatly impeded. The result sooner or later is a yellowish, sickly, dirty appearance of the whole plant. Sponging.—This operation is often performed on the leaves and stems of plants grown under glass, when they happen to be badly affected by insect pests such as scale or mealy bug, or covered with dirt that cannot be readily removed by syringing. It consists in washing the leaf surfaces often with clean tepid water, but usually with a solution of soft soap, quassia chip, or nicotine, or some of the well-advertised insecticides and fungicides. The leaves are placed on the outstretched fingers and palm of one hand, and carefully washed with a sponge saturated in the solution. In this way pests and dirt are removed, more light and fresh air are given to the 16 LIFTING AND STORING BULBS tissues, and consequently the whole plant becomes happier and healthier because cleaner and freed from its natural enemies, Asa rule, there is not much difficulty in removing scaly pests, etc, from the leaves or stems of plants; but sometimes in very neglected cases if may be necessary to remove them first of all with a piece of pointed bamboo stick, afterwards sponging and washing in the usual way. LIFTING AND STORING BULBS Although these points are dealt with in special cases in this work, it may be as well to touch upon the subject in a general way. Many if not most bulbous plants are deciduous; that is, the leaves die away each year, and the bulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes, as the case may be, remain dormant or quiescent for a certain period. Other bulbous plants, however, present an evergreen appearance—many of the Crinums and Pancratiums, for example—and are consequently in a state of growth throughout the year, passing from weak to vigorous stages according to their nature and the season. So far as deciduous bulbous plants are concerned, if grown in the open air, it matters little in many cases whether the bulbs or tubers are lifted annually, or whether they are left in the ground undis- turbed for a number of years. Some, such as Daffodils, Crocus, Snowdrops, Bluebells, Scillas, Chionodoxas, Muscaris, some Liliums (eg. L. candidum), Fritillarias, to mention only a few, are decidedly best left in the soil for some years when they are doing well, and if they have been planted in borders or shrubberies, or in grassland. In this way they increase and multiply naturally, and give more gorgeous displays of colour year after year, especially if they have been fed by placing a layer of some well-decayed manure over them after the leaves have died down. Other bulbous plants like Hyacinths, Tulips, Gladiolus, and Tigridia, and some of the rarer and more tender kinds, are perhaps best lifted every year after the flowers are past their best. Unless it is desired to save seeds, this is usually the best time to lift bulbous plants. The foliage should show signs of yellowing, and this indicates that the work of assimilating food is nearly at an end for that particular season. When any of these bulbous plants are grown in formal beds on the lawn, it is almost essential to get them up and stored out of the way to make room for other plants to take their 17 B THE BULB BOOK place, and to admit of the beds being redug and manured if necessary. Having decided to take the bulbs out of the ground the operation is perhaps best performed with a fork. There would be too much danger of chopping the bulbs up if a spade were used. The tool should be driven down straight, so as to get it well below the bulbs, and the soil should be lifted and turned over or thrown forward very much in the same way as when digging potatoes. The bulbs should be picked out by hand into baskets or shallow boxes, in which they can be afterwards taken away and spread out todry. In this way the soil can be removed from them easily in due course, and the process of grading the bulbs into the different sizes can be performed more readily. Bulbs or tubers lifted in the autumn like Gladiolus, Montbretias, Tigridias, Watsonias, etc., may be stored in dry soil, sand, or fibre, and kept in a frost-proof cellar until the spring. The bulbs of such plants as Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Crocuses, etc., that are taken up in spring or early summer, may be spread out in layers on shelves made of slating battens, or they may be stored away in shallow wooden trays that are now so much in use, and are very convenient for storing large numbers of bulbs into a small space. It will be necessary to keep bulbs of this character in cool, shady, and well-ventilated sheds, and it will be better if only one, or at the most two, layers of bulbs—certainly of the best bulbs—should be placed on each shelf. Bulbous or tuberous plants grown in pots may be allowed to remain in the old soil during the dormant period. The pots, however, should be placed on their side and stacked away on top of each other as shown in the diagram. In this way, if placed under the stage of a greenhouse, the dripping water from the soscd plants on- the shelves will not touch the bulbs and cause 209°°° them to rot. When the period of growth arrives, and this is generally indicated by the new green growth appearing at the tips of the bulbs, the bulbs may be shaken out of the old soil, and repotted into a fresh compost according to the instructions given under each genus. By treating deciduous bulbous and tuberous plants as described above, they can be kept for many years in excellent condition. 18 PROPAGATION PROPAGATION OF BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS PLANTS Of the many methods of propagation known to gardeners, all except three — budding, grafting, and layering—are practised in connection with increasing the stock of bulbous, tuberous, and rhizomatous plants. Being all herbaceous in character, such methods as budding, grafting, and layering are not generally applicable, being reserved for woody plants. Occasionally Dahlias may be grafted on to the tuberous roots, and the tuberous roots of herbaceous Peeonies are often used as stocks on which the fibrous-rooted Tree or Moutan Peonies are grafted. With these exceptions, however, the great bulk of bulbous and tuberous plants are increased by other methods. The principal of these are:—(1) Offsets; (2) Spawn or Cloves; (3) Scales; (4) Bulbils; (5) Division of the root-stock; (6) Cuttings; and (7) Seeds. It may be well to say something about each of these methods of propagation. OFFSETS.—By far the greater number of plants having true bulbs and corms, and also most tuberous-rooted plants, are propagated by means of “ offsets,’ which are produced in greater or less numbers from the old stocks. In such genera as Anemone, Aconitum, Chionodoxa, Colchicum, Crocosma, Doronicum, Fritillaria, Galanthus, Gladiolus, Hyacinthus, Leucojum, Lilium, Montbretia, Muscari, Narcigsus, Qr ithogalum, Oxalis, Scilla, Tritonia, Tulipa, ete, the parent bulbs or tubers produce offsets freely. When it becomes necessary to increase the stock, the old plants are lifted, usually in the dormant season, or just before growth recommences, and the offsets are detached from them. In all cases the offsets may be looked upon as vegetative growths or children representative of the vigour of the parent plant. They arise from the. superabundance of nourishment elaborated from the soil and air by the healthy leaf- action of their parents. The original bulb, corm, or tuber being unable by itself to retain all the food sent down by the leaves, is necessarily compelled to build as it were separate annexes to accommodate the surplus material. In this way “ offsets” arise, and if not interfered with, will in due course carry outthe same principles of growth as their parents. This explains the way in which a few bulbs, corms, or tubers will in the course of a few years 19 THE BULB BOOK give rise to a numerous progeny, and occupy far more space in the garden than was originally allotted them. As we shall see later on when discussing seeds, the production of these offsets are of great value to the gardener. Many bulbous and tuberous plants produce very little or no seed, consequently it would take many years to raise a large stock of plants of these were it not that they lent themselves readily to other methods of reproduction. It may be taken as a general rule that bulbous and tuberous plants are raised by the readiest means at hand, and this happens in most cases to be “offsets.” Every offset, large or small, if taken off at the right time and planted properly, has the makings of a new, complete, and independent flowering plant in it. As a rule these offsets are attached close to the parent bulb corm, or tuber; but occasionally, as in Tulips and in Montbretias, and in some Liliums, they are produced at the end of a creeping runner-like body, or along a rhizome. This accounts for what is known as “dropping” in Tulips, in some cases of which the offsets are several inches lower down than the parent bulb. As all offsets are not of equal size and value, they should be graded, the largest and best being planted in beds by themselves, the medium and smaller ones (which may take two or three years longer to reach - the flowering stage) being also placed in special beds until they are large enough to be again transplanted. SPAWN or CLOVES.—Some plants, such as the Gladiolus, not only produce a few new corms from the older shrivelled ones, but also several much smaller bodies around the base. ‘These are popularly called “spawn,” or individually “cloves” (see Fig. 6), and are akin vegetatively to the bulbils borne in the axils of the leaves of some Liliums. These cloves may be stored away till spring-time in sandy soil, and then sown in special beds of gritty mould and covered with about 1 inch of soil. At the end of two or three years they will have attained the size of flowering corms and may then be treated like those. SCALES.—Apart from the offsets of the bulbs of Liliums, many of the fleshy scale-leaves are broken away or detached in the process of lifting and replanting; each one of these scales may be utilised to produce a new bulb. If stuck more or lesg vertically into rich and very gritty soil, a little bud is soon produced at the base. In due course this little bud swells into a little bulb, and at the end of three or four years it will attain the flowering stage, Very often the scales are simply covered with an inch or two of sandy soil in a 20 PROPAGATION special bed, and left to look after themselves until they throw up flower-stems, In the case of the florists’ Hyacinth, although these little bulbs are not produced in the same way as on the Lilium scales, they can be induced to develop on the base of the old bulb. This is cut across in several places, and sometimes even the “disc” or woody base plate is cut out altogether. The old bulbs are then Fic. 20.—Hyacinth bulb, Fic. 21.—Hyacinth bulb, showing back view. cuts. spread out to dry, and by and by small buds or bulblets are produced on the cut surfaces. When large enough to handle easily these baby bulbs are detached and planted an inch or two deep in rich and very sandy soil. The sketches show how the bulbs are cut across the base with a sharp knife, and how the young bulbs develop in the scars later on. Fig. 20 shows the base of a Hyacinth bulb before cutting. Fig. 21 shows how the bulb has four cuts made right across, making eight slits altogether. The cut surface soon heals up, and in due course Fis. 22.—Hyacinth bulb, showing . . buds in cuts. a number of vegetative buds appear in the slits, as shown in Fig. 22. From these buds new Hyacinth bulbs are eventually produced. BULBILS.—These are roundish vegetative growths often seen in the axils of the leaves on the aérial stems of some Liliums and a few other plants. Why these bulbils should be produced is a mystery, but it is thought that they appear in cases where the conditions for reproduction by seeds or other methods are not favourable. By the end of the Sane season these bulbils are THE BULB BOOK thoroughly ripe, and separate themselves from the parent plant and are blown about and carried away by the wind until they settle down in some sheltered crevice—there to grow and bring forth new plants in due course. In cultivation when it is con- sidered worth while, any bulbils may be sown in spring as if they were seeds, covering them with about twice or three times their own depth of soil. When taken from bulbous plants, they reach the flowering stage much quicker than seeds, but not nearly so quickly as offsets. DIVISION OF THE ROOT-STOCK.—This is a simple and rapid method of increasing many kinds of tuberous and rhizomatous plants, as well as many fibrous-rooted herbaceous perennials. Such plants as Aconite, Peony, Doronicum, Arum Lily, Caladium, and many others, produce numerous offsets or young growths from the parent root-stock, and these may be detached just before growth recommences, or when the plants are lifted or disturbed in autumn or spring, or other dormant period. Each detached portion so long as it has at least one bud attached will develop into a plant by itself in due course, treating it in the same way as recommended for the parent or established plant. Even with tufted plants like the Agapanthus, Hemerocallis, Schizostylis- and others, if the main shoots are separated carefully so that each has a supply of roots, there will be no difficulty in establishing the separated | portions. In the case of the German, Florentine, and other Irises, and in Solomon’s Seal, the rhizomes may be so hard and thick that it may be necessary to cut them through with a strong, sharp knife, although as a rule they are easily enough broken, In dealing with such plants as Aspidistras, it is better to sever the rhizomes with a sharp knife, each. portion having a bud or two attached. With Lilies of the Valley the rhizomes are easily separated, but it will be noticed that the thicker and fatter the buds are the more likelihood there is of having flowering shoots (see p. 149). CUTTINGS.—With bulbous plants proper, 1.¢., those belonging to the Monocotyledonous group, there is no opportunity of raising them from cuttings, neither can they be budded or grafted, as diets stems possess no cambium layer like the Dicotyledons. Such tuberous-rooted plants, however, as Dahlia, Begonia, and Gloxinia are readily raised from cuttings of the young stems, or by means of the leaves, as described under each of those genera. Indeed, so far as this volume is concerned, these are about the only plants which 22 PROPAGATION can be propagated by stem or leaf cuttings, although they may also be increased by division of the roots, by cutting the tubers into pieces, or by seeds in the ordinary way. SEEDS.—.Most bulbous, tuberous, and rhizomatous plants may be raised from seed. There is, however, a wonderful difference in the length of time between the sowing of the seeds and the development of flowering plants. Thus, such dicotyledons as Begonias, Dahlias, Gloxinias, Cyclamen, ete., having tuberous roots or stems, may be easily brought to the flowering stage in the first year of their growth from seed. Many other plants in this group may take a year or two to accomplish their complete cycle of growth—that is, from the time the seed is sown until the flowers develop and ripen seed again ; but with true bulbous monocotyledonous plants it may take from three to seven, eight, or ten years before a good flowering bulb or corm can be produced. There are a few exceptions to this rule, notably the Freesias and the Gladioli; but, generally speaking, it takes several years to raise flowering plants of such well-known bulbous plants as Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths, Liliums, etc., from seeds. However, specialists do it, and wonderful creations have rewarded their skill and patience with such plants as Daffodils, Narcissi, Gladiolus, Lilium, Freesia, etc. The difficulty of raising true bulbous plants from seed being thus so great and occupying so much time and attention, it is only natural that they should be propagated by the much easier and more simple method of offsets. When plants are increased by any other method than seed, there is one consolation, and that is the fact that any particular species or variety may be kept perfectly true and pure. When, however, plants are raised from seeds; and especially when they are readily fertilised by insects, there is always the chance of variation in colour, habit, and constitution in the progeny raised from the seeds of such plants. Cross-fertilisation and Hybridising.—This knowledge of course is of the greatest value to the hybridist. Knowing how easily one species will cross or breed with another, he selects and controls the operation in the case of those species or varieties in which he is particularly interested. In this way by transferring the pollen from the stamens of a certain variety to the stigma of another, he effects what is known as crossing or hybridising. When the same species or variety is fertilised with the pollen from a similar species or variety, the process is simply known as cross- fertilisation, and roughly ce to the marriage of people THE BULB BOOK of the same race or nationality. When, however, two quite distinct species or quite distinct varieties are fertilised with each other's pollen (the operation may often be carried out both ways, so that a “reverse” cross is produced) the plants are said to be hybridised, and if any progeny result they are said to be “hybrids.” Hybridis- ing is analogous to marriage between quite distinct races. FORCING AND RETARDING BULBOUS PLANTS For many years gardeners have been well acquainted with the effects of a high or a low temperature upon plant life, and advantage has been taken of this knowledge to bring some plants into flower before their natural period, or to prevent them from flowering until that period is over. The process by which plants are brought into early flower is known as “forcing,” while that by which they are kept in check or suspended animation is-known as “retarding.” One pro- cess is really the antithesis of the other. Thus in the winter months when it is desired to have Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Crocuses, Gladiolus, Liliums, etc., in flower, the plants are placed in a high temperature and in an atmosphere more or less charged with moisture. Before this stage is reached, however, the bulbs have been placed in pots or boxes of soil with the tops just showing in some cases, or the bulbs are only placed on the soil side by side in others. Hardy kinds are then stood outside in a sheltered spot and covered with about 6 inches of soil, ashes, or fibre, and left for a few or several weeks. This protects them from frost, and root action and top growth soon become established beneath the surface. This work is generally done during October and November, so that the bulbs shall be in different stages of development. When required for forcing those first placed in pots or boxes are brought into the hothouses first, as they will be most advanced in growth. For a few days but very little light is allowed on them, but the temperature may be as high as 70° to 80° F., and there will be also abundant moisture in the atmosphere. At the end of a few days the yellowish tint of the leaves or shoots begins to deepen into green. Then more light may be given, and the flower-stems having been drawn up by the absence of light now begin to swell the buds rapidly. In due course (accord- ing to the kind of plant that is being forced) the flowers begin to 24 FORCING AND RETARDING BULBOUS PLANTS open, and as soon as they are in fit condition they are either cut and stood in water to be “ bunched” for market, or taken into the house; or the entire plant or plants are transferred to cooler quarters in the conservatory or dwelling-room, or to any place they may be required. Once plants have been forced in a high temperature they are generally regarded as of no further use, and are thrown away. Certainly they will not be of much value for flowering purposes for at least two or three seasons. If, however, they are planted out in some vacant piece of ground and left undisturbed for two or three seasons, it is astonishing how many bulbs of such plants as Tulips and Daffodils will recuperate, and reach the flowering stage in that time. Commercially it would scarcely pay to wait for these old forced bulbs to flower; and a new stock is purchased each season. Retarding Bulbous Plants—-Many plants are now prevented from flowering at their natural period simply by placing them in a refrigerating chamber, in which the temperature is maintained a degree or two lower than freezing point (32° F.). In this way the protoplasm in the plant cells is kept in a state of suspended anima- tion—or almost like hounds held in leash ; they are anxious to start into growth but cannot do so until the temperature reaches the normal point. How long it would be possible to keep bulbous or. other plants alive or unimpaired in vitality there are no statistics available; but it may be stated that many Liliums (chiefly L. longi- florum) are kept for eighteen months and two years in a cold chamber, and when taken out produce an excellent crop of flowers. Some large growers have their own retarding or refrigerating plant, while others prefer to pay a reasonable rent for the cold storage of their bulbs to some of the refrigerating companies. Amongst bulbous and tuberous plants that may be readily “forced” or “retarded” are the following :— Begonia. Freesia. Ixia. Polianthes tuberosa. Convallaria. Gladiolus. Leucojum. Polygonatum multi- Crocus. Gloxinia. Lilium. florum. Dicentra. Hippeastrum. Montbretia. Richardia. Eucharis. Hyacinthus, Narcissus. Tulipa. 25 THE BULB BOOK BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS PLANTS FOR CUT FLOWERS A very large number of bulbous and tuberous plants are cultivated for their cut flowers alone, and in many cases an enormous business is done in this way. One need only mention the millions of Daffodil and Narcissus blossoms that are sent to the markets. every spring from the Scilly Islands, and the various market gardens around London and in the Provinces, to give an idea of what commerce is done. Of course almost any flower of a bulbous or tuberous plant may be used in a cut state, but there are many species the blooms of which are not adapted for this purpose, or else they are so fleeting in character that it is hardly worth while severing them from the plant. In this place we are only considering those kinds that are specially suitable for decorative purposes in the cut state, either privately or commercially. There is one feature about cutting the flowers of bulbous plants, and that is, the benefit accruing to the plants themselves from the operation. If the blossoms are allowed to remain upon the plants until they wither, and seeds begin to form, a good deal of reserve material is taken out of the bulbs, tubers, corms, or rhizomes to enable the plants to ripen their seeds. It is obvious, therefore, that by cutting off the blooms when fresh, there will be no extra strain upon the plants. Consequently more reserve material will be available for the production of fine blooms the following year. It may therefore be said that cutting off the flowers really strengthens the plant, and enables it to produce for many years a good supply of blossom. - When bulbous plants are grown for cut flowers, either in market gardens or under glass, they are grown in hundreds, and hundreds of thousands, so that a supply shall be always available during the season. Sometimes the prices are very low, owing to an enormous quantity appearing on the market at the same time; but at other times fairly high prices are realised. Of late years efforts have been made to avoid gluts by keeping back or retarding the blooms until they were wanted, because experience shows that a steady market at a reasonable figure is better than a jumpy market, in which very high prices rule one day and very low ones the next. In private gardens, of course, cut flowers are always a feature ; and the gardener who is nee see to keep up a good and BULBOUS PLANTS FOR COLD GREENHOUSES, ETC. constant supply of blossom for the house, is a man worthy of a higher wage than is usually considered sufficient. The following is a list of bulbous, tuberous, or rhizomatous plants that may be grown largely for the purposes of cut bloom:— Alstroemeria. Tris, Spanish. Arum Lily (Richardia). Iris, German. Amaryllis Belladonna. Iris, Florentine. Anemone. Ixia. Brodiza. Lilium. Brevoortia. Lily of the Valley (Convallaria). Convallaria majalis (Lily of the | Montbretia. Valley). Narcissus (Daffodils). Crinum Moorei. Nerine. Dahlia. Ornithogalum. Daffodils (Narcissus). Peeonia. Doronicum. Polianthes tuberosa. Eucharis. Polygonatum multiflorum (Solomon’s Freesia. Seal). Fritillaria imperialis. Ranunculus. Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrop). Richardia zthiopica. Galtonia candicans. . Richardia Elliottiana. Gladiolus. Snowdrops (Galanthus). Gypsophila paniculata. Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum). Hemanthus. Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum). Hyacinthus. Tritonia. Hippeastrum. Tulipa. When cutting the flowers of bulbous or other plants, it is always well to cut either early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, or an hour or so before twilight. The cells in the blossoms will then be fairly well charged with moisture, and this will enable the flowers to last for a much longer period. If cut in the middle of the day, flowers do not retain their freshness nearly so long, the cells being ‘less turgid, and therefore more flaccid, owing to evaporation. BULBOUS PLANTS FOR COLD GREENHOUSES AND WINDOW-BOXES = There are now hundreds of greenhouses or glass structures with- out any heating apparatus, that are left in’ a cheerless condition during the winter and early spring months, chiefly through lack of knowledge as to how they might be utilised. By means of such hardy bulbous plants as Bulbocodiums, Chionodoxas, Scillas, Spring Crocuses, Dog’s Tooth Violets ene) Dwarf Fritillarias, THE BULB BOOK Hyacinths, Narcissi, Grape Hyacinths (Muscari), Sternbergias, Bulbous Irises, Winter Aconites (Eranthis) (all of which the reader should refer to in the body of the book), it is a comparatively simple matter to have a good supply of blossom at least early in the year. To secure this the bulbs of the various genera mentioned should be placed in pots or shallow pans in the autumn, say during September, October, and November. The pots or pans should be well drained and the compost should be of a light, rich, and gritty nature. Several bulbs according to size may be placed in each receptacle, and should be just covered with soil. For a month or six weeks, or even longer, they may be stood outside and covered with about 6 inches of soil, ashes, or fibre, just as if they were to be forced. When the roots have been well developed, and top growth is well established, the plants may be brought into the cold house (after washing and cleaning the outsides of the pots) and placed upon the stages. Here they will naturally be exposed to the light, and growth will then be slower and more sturdy than in the dark. Attention must be given to watering, but during the cold winter months this will be a small item. On all fine or genial days, the doors and ventilators of the greenhouse may be left open, and should only be closed on very cold or very windy days. Late in the afternoon the doors may be closed, and not opened again till after breakfast; and the ventilators may be shut right down on very cold nights, but left slightly open if the weather is at all favourable. In the event of very severe frosts setting in, it may be advisable to fill in the spaces on the stages between the pots with clean moss, dry leaves, or fine wood-wool, to prevent the frost getting to the roots; and a mat or two should be placed over the glass at night. Even with what are perfectly hardy plants when grown in the open air, these little precautions are necessary when they are grown in pots or pans in the way indicated. The bulbous plants mentioned may also be utilised for the decoration of window-boxes during the winter months. They may be put into small pots and then plunged or buried in fibre or soil in the boxes, or they may be planted in the soil itself just as they would be in the open air. And they can be used either by them- selves, or in mixtures, or in conjunction with such shrubs as Aucubas, Cupressus, Retinosporas, Golden Privet, Euonymus, etc. ; or they may be top planted with Polyanthuses, Primroses, Wallflowers, Double White Arabis, Yellow Alyssum, Violas, or Silenes, etc.—all of which, if planted in September or October, will come into blossom the following spring with the bulbous plants. 28 NATURALISING BULBOUS PLANTS NATURALISING BULBOUS PLANTS IN GRASS- LAND AND SHRUBBERIES Perhaps there is no better or more artistic way of improving the appearance of the landscape, especially during the early months of the year, than by the judicious planting of certain kinds of bulbs in the lawn or on grassland generally. Many kinds are admirably adapted for this purpose, inasmuch as they produce their blossoms from early January till the end of March, just the season when there is little growth of the herbage, and when it will not be necessary to use the lawn-mower. To secure an effect, it is necessary to plant hundreds and thousands according to the area of the lawn or grass- land, and in most cases the work of planting should be done in autumn. By copying nature as closely as possible, far finer and more picturesque effects will be secured. Anything in the way of planting in straight lines or rows, or keeping one kind of bulbs away from another, should be avoided. Perhaps one of the best methods of securing a natural appear- ance would be to mix the bulbs that are to be planted and then strew them over the ground. Some will be naturally closer together than others, but it is this very irregularity of distance that will produce the ultimate charm when the bulbs are in blossom. There will be masses of flowers in certain spots, while here and there between them will be stray blooms or smaller clusters. The bulbs having been strewn over the ground in the way indicated, they may be planted in holes made with a dibber. This will take some little time according to the number of bulbs used, but once the work is finished it will not require doing again perhaps for many a year. The holes made by the dibber can be filled in by brushing some fine soil over the grassy surface or by dropping a handful in where necessary. Where new lawns are being made in the autumn, or when it is advisable to lift the turf to drain the soil beneath by deep digging or trenching, advantage may be taken of such operations to spread the bulbs over the ground before replacing the turf on top of it. In this way time and labour will be saved, and the soil beneath the turf will be all the better for the turning over it has received. When it is intended to plant bulbous plants amongst trees in shrubberies, it will be well to remember that some trees and shrubs are evergreen whilst others are deciduous. Amongst such evergreen plants as Rhododendrons, Kalmias, Ericas, Pernettyas, Cherry 29 THE BULB BOOK and Portugal Laurels, the bulbous plants most suitable would be the taller-growing Liliums like Awratum, Candidum, Eaxcelsum, Par- dalinum, Giganteum, Hansoni, Humboldti, Monadelphum, Spectosum, . Superbum, etc., together with Fritidlaria imperialis, Camassia esculenta, Galtonia candicans, Solomon’s Seal, etc. In this way the bulbous plants will find a foil in the evergreen foliage of the shrubs, and the latter when not in blossom will be made to look more cheer- ful by the flowers from the bulbs. The following bulbous and tuberous plants may be regarded as specially suitable for naturalising in grasslands and shrubberies, those marked with an asterisk being better in woodlands, shrubberies, and banks than on the formal lawn :— Autumn Crocus (Colchicum). Milla. Bulbocodium. Muscari. Chionodoxa. *Narcissus. Colchicum. Puschkinia. Crocus (Spring and Autumn). Scilla sibirica. Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite). Scilla festalis (Bluebell). Erythronium (Dog’s Tooth Violet). Snowdrop (Galanthus). Fritillaria. Sternbergia. Galanthus (Snowdrop). *Tulipa. *Leucojum. Winter Aconite (Eranthis). *Lilium. With deciduous trees and shrubs, it is generally best to utilise the dwarf early-flowering kinds of bulbous plants such as Scillas, Chiono- doxas, Snowdrops, Crocuses, Winter Aconite (Hranthis hyemalis), to form a carpet of colour beneath them in the spring. They are particularly effective in beds or shrubberies beneath such trees and shrubs as Forsythias, Almonds and Peaches, Thorns, Azaleas, Witch Hazels (Hamamelis), Hazels, Laburnums, Magnolias, Mock Orange (Philadelphus), Plums, Cherries, Lilacs, Pyrus, Flowering Currant (Ribes), Spireas, Viburnums, Dogwoods (Cornus), and Weigelas (or Diervillas). These plants having bare and leafless stems early in the year do not interfere to any extent with the light that is necessary for the bulbous plants beneath them; and by the time many of them are in full leaf and blossom, the bulbous plants will have gone to rest till the following season. It is thus seen how easy it is to convert a dreary shrubbery into a place of beauty, with the aid of bulbous plants that may be in flower almost throughout the year if a proper selection is made, 30 HARDY AND HALF-HARDY PLANTS HARDY AND HALF-HARDY BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS PLANTS Under this heading may be grouped all those plants having bulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes that may be grown in the open air in almost any part of the British Islands, that is between the 50th and 61st northern parallels of latitude, and from the 2nd degree of longitude east of Greenwich to the 11th west of Greenwich. Even within this area there will be a good deal of difference in the climate, due not only as to whether a place is north or south, but also to altitude and other causes, such as that of the Gulf Stream on the coast of Ireland and the west of Scotland. The mean annual temperature of England is 49°-5 F., that of Scotland 47°-5, and of Ireland 50°-0, so that the Emerald Isle is on the whole warmer and more equable than either England or Scotland. In Great Britain there is a difference of fully 6° between Falmouth in Cornwall and the Shetland Islands—chiefly owing to the difference in latitude. But in Ireland there is a difference of only 3° between the extreme north and south. As to the annual rainfall, there is of course also great variation in different parts of the Kingdom. Where the country is flattish and free from hills the average annual rainfall in England is about 25 inches, and in similar parts of Scotland about 28 inches. In south-western districts, however, as much as 40 inches of rain fall annually ; and in certain parts like the Western Highlands, the Isle of Skye, the Lake District, and in Wales, there is a rainfall of 80 inches and more in the course of the year—each inch of rain representing rather more than 100 tons of water to the acre. In Ireland, as in Great Britain, there is also much variation in the annual rainfall. About one-half of the country—the eastern portion —has from 30 to 40 inches of rain yearly, the other or western half having from 40 to 50 inches. Dublin in the east has an average of 28 to 48 inches, while Kylemore in Galway has as much as 89-40 inches. These geographical and meteorological facts are given, so that the reader may realise the varying conditions under which plants exist in the open air. In one part of the Kingdom plants will flourish, while in other parts the same species will be so tender or half-hardy that protection may be needed ie the winter season. In the THE BULB BOOK following pages it is stated whether plants are hardy, half-hardy, tender, or otherwise, so that the cultivator may have something to guide him in his operations. The following genera are amongst those containing the most hardy bulbous and tuberous plants for open-air cultivation. The genera marked with an asterisk (*) have species with true bulbs or corms, and are all Monocotyledons. The other genera have tubers or rhizomes, and are either Monocotyledons or Diocotyledons :— Abobra. Caulophyllum. Helianthus. *Acis, *Chionodoxa. Helonias. Acorus, Chionographis. Heloniopsis. Aconitum. *Chiono-Scilla. Hemerocallis. Agapanthus. *Chlorogalum. Hesperocallis. *Allium. Codonopsis. *Hyacinthus. Alstroemeria, *Colchicum. Tncarvillea. *Amaryllis. Commelina. *Tris. Ampelopsis. Conanthera, *Txia. Anemone. Convallaria. *Txiolirion. *Anomatheca, *Cooperia. *Lapeyrousia. Anthericum. Corydalis. Lathyrus. *Antholyza, *Crocosma. Leontice. Aphyllanthes. *Crocus. *Leucojum. Apios, Cyclamen. Lewisia. Arisarum. Dahlia. Liatris. Arum. Dicentra. Libertia. Asclepias. *Dierama. *Lilium. Asphodeline. Disporum. *Lycoris. Asphodelus, Doronicum. Lysichitum. *Babiana. Dracunculus. Maianthemum. Begonia. Eranthis. Medeola. *Bessera, Eremostachys. Megarhiza. Biarum. Eremurus. Melanthium. *Bloomeria. *Erythronium. *Merendera, *Bobartia. *Eucomis. *Milla. Bocconia. *Ferraria. Mirabilis. Bongardia. *Fritillaria. *Montbretia. *Brodiza. Funkia. *Moreea, *Bravoa. *Gagea. *Muscari. *Brevoortia. . *Galanthus. *Narcisgus. Bryonia. *Galtonia. ' *Nemastylis. *Bulbine. Gentiana. Nothoscordum. *Bulbocodium. Geranium. Nuphar. Calla. *Gladiolus. Nympheea. *Calochortus. Glyphosperma. *Ornithogalum. *Camassia. Gypsophila. Ostrowskia. Canarina, Hablitzia. Othonna. Canna. Oxalis, Haylockia. 32 TENDER BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS PLANT'S Pachyrhizus. Sanguinaria, Tricyrtis. Peeonia. Saxifraga. Trillium. Phlomis. Schizostylis. *Tritonia. Phytolacea. *Scilla. Tropzolum. Podophyllum. Sisyrinchium. *Tulbaghia. Polygonatum. *Sparaxis. *Tulipa. Polygonum. *Sprekelia. *Urginea. Polymnia. *Sternbergia. Uvularia. *Puschkinia. Symphytum. *Veltheimia. Ranunculus. Tamus. Veratrum. Reineckia. *Tecophilea. Wachendorfia. *Rigidella. Thalictrum. *Watsonia. Roscoéa, Thladiantha. *Zephyranthes. Sagittaria. *Tigridia. Zygadenus. Salvia. TENDER BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS PLANTS The plants in this group are such that they cannot be grown in the open air, even during the summer months, with any degree of “success. They are natives of the tropical and subtropical parts of the globe, and are mostly found at low elevations where the heat and moisture are often great. It must be borne in mind that plants from the same geographical region may be quite different in their natures, and would consequently require different cultural treatment. Thus, a species from the high mountain tops at altitudes of 10,000 or 12,000 feet, would be quite hardy in our climate, in comparison with other species from the same latitude, but found at the base of the mountains or on the plains. This accounts for many plants from the mountain ranges of Central America being hardy or almost hardy in the British Isles, while others at a lower elevation sega to be grown in a stove or greenhouse. As the terms “stove” and “greenhouse” are frequently used in this work, it may be as well to explain to the amateur what is meant by them.