perfume obtainable from its numerous pure white flowers. In this
country it is widely known, but considering the beauty and exceeding
fragrance of the blossoms it is astonishing that a greater number are
not planted every season. Perhaps the fact that the bulbs are valueless
after the first year may in a measure account for the comparatively
limited culture. They are easily flowered as pot plants in a mixture of
loam and leaf-mould, plunged in a bottom heat ranging between 60° and
70°. The growth is rather tall, and unless kept near the glass the
stems become unsightly in length.
TULIP
Culture in Pots.—When grown in pots, Tulips are treated in precisely
the same manner as the Hyacinth, but several bulbs, according to their
size and the purpose they are intended for, are placed in a pot. When
required to fill épergnes and baskets, and other elegant receptacles,
it is a good plan to grow them in shallow boxes, as recommended for
Crocuses, and transfer them when in flower to the vases and baskets.
This mode of procedure insures exactitude of height and colouring,
whereas, when the bulbs are grown from the first in the ornamental
vessels, they may not flower with sufficient uniformity to produce a
satisfactory display. In common with the Hyacinth and Crocus, Tulips
may be taken out of the soil in which they have been grown, and after
washing the roots clean, they can be inserted in glasses for decorating
an apartment. Early Tulips are often employed in this way to light up
festive gatherings at Christmas and the early months of the year. But
the pot culture of Tulips need not be restricted to the early
varieties. The Darwin and May-flowering classes are also admirable when
grown in this way, but it is important they should not be hurried into
bloom. If placed in moderate heat and allowed ample time to develop,
beautiful long-stemmed flowers may be had in March which will make a
charming decoration for the drawing-room or the dinner-table.
Culture in Moss-fibre.—No bulb excels the Tulip in adaptability for
bowl culture, given the treatment suggested for Narcissi and Daffodils
on page 345, and particularly with respect to moisture.
Culture in the Open Ground.—For general usefulness the early Tulips are
the most valuable of all, because of their peculiarly accommodating
nature, their many and brilliant colours, and their suitability for the
formation of rich masses in the flower garden. Any good soil will suit
them, and they may be planted in quantities under trees if the position
enjoys some amount of sunshine, because they will have finished their
growth before the leafage of the trees shades them injuriously. If it
is necessary to prepare or improve the soil for them, the aim should be
to render it rich and sandy, and sufficiently drained to avoid a boggy
character in winter. Plant in October or November, four or five inches
deep, and six inches apart. The roots require no water and no supports,
and may all be taken up and stored away in good time for the usual
summer display of bedding plants. For geometric planting it is
important to select the varieties with care, but a most interesting
border may be made by planting clumps of all the best sorts of the
several classes. The result will be a long-continued and splendid
display, beginning with the ‘Van Thols’ (which are as hardy as any),
following with the early class in almost endless variety, and finishing
with the noble Darwin and May-flowering sections. The last named
include a very large number of extremely handsome flowers, and their
lasting beauty is of especial value at a season of the year when spring
blooms are over and summer plants have scarcely begun to make a show.
As cut flowers Tulips are worthy of special attention. With very little
care they not only maintain their full beauty in vases for a fortnight,
but some of them actually increase in brilliancy of colouring. The
May-flowering classes are perhaps the most appreciated for cutting,
because of their great length of stem and the enduring character of the
flowers. They are extremely beautiful in tall vases.
VALLOTA PURPUREA
This brilliant plant is nearly hardy in the Southern counties, and a
cool greenhouse plant where it cannot be grown in the open border. To
produce fine specimens a firm loamy soil is necessary, with abundance
of water all the summer, and moderate supplies all the winter. The
bulbs flower more freely when somewhat pot-bound. Therefore they should
not be re-potted too often. Under these conditions feeding with clear
liquid manure is necessary once a week from the time the flower-buds
show until they begin to open. To dry off the bulb may weaken or kill
it. Those who cannot cultivate the Amaryllis will find the Vallota an
excellent substitute.
VIOLET, DOG’S-TOOTH—_see page 327_
WINTER ACONITE
The Winter Aconite is the very ‘firstling’ of the year, for it blooms
in advance of the Snowdrop, covering the ground with gilt spangles in
the bleakest days of February. Any soil or situation will suit it, and
it should be planted in large patches where a winter’s walk in the
garden affords pleasure. It should also be grown in quantity within
view from the windows, for the benefit of those who, in the dreary
season, cannot get out. The bulbs may be left in the ground for several
years, or they may be taken up and stored after the leaves have
perished.
ZEPHYRANTHES CANDIDA
Flower of the West Wind
A dwarf white Crocus-like flower, with foliage resembling the common
Rush on a small scale. Plant in clumps from November to March in
borders, and it will commence blooming about the end of July, and
continue in flower until frost cuts it down. Any soil will suit this
plant, and it thrives for several years if left undisturbed.
FLOWERS ALL THE YEAR ROUND FROM SEEDS AND ROOTS
Before proceeding to the duties which need attention in successive
months of the year, it may be worth while to consider some of the
points which constitute the alphabet of flower culture. To grow any
plant in a pot is an artificial proceeding, and the conditions for its
sustenance and health have to be provided. Among these conditions are
temperature and accommodation. It is useless to attempt to grow flowers
which require heat unless that necessity can be met. And it is equally
useless to pot more plants than the space will accommodate when they
attain their full size. A limited number, well grown, will produce a
greater wealth of bloom, of finer quality, than a larger number which
become feeble from deficiency of space for development. Nevertheless,
there are many varieties raised in heat in the early months of the year
which can be grown and flowered in the most satisfactory manner,
without any kind of artificial aid, from sowings made in the open
ground during April or May. The flowering will be somewhat later than
from plants brought forward under glass; but as they receive no check
from the very commencement, they will not be greatly behind their
nursed relations; and they may even excel them in robust beauty, if
they are treated intelligently and with a generous hand.
Good Soil for pot plants is not always obtainable at a reasonable cost,
and sometimes the materials at hand must be made to serve the purpose.
None the less is it true, that in proportion to the skill and
experience of the cultivator will be his desire to secure a supply of
loam, peat, and leaf-mould. Those who are capable of turning poor soil
to the best account are precisely the men who will be most anxious to
obtain the materials which are known to promote the luxuriant growth of
pot plants.
The top spit of an old pasture makes capital potting soil. If taken
from light land, it need only be stacked for one year before use. A
heavy loam should be kept for at least two seasons, and in any case the
heap should be turned and re-made several times. A slight sprinkling of
soot between the layers of soil will be beneficial, and help to make it
distasteful to grubs, wireworms, and other vermin. The frequent turning
of the heap will not be wasted labour, for it equalises the quality,
and tends to sweeten the whole by exposing new surfaces to the
atmosphere; and this is a great aid to healthy growth.
Many plants thrive in peat, or in soil of which peat is a constituent,
and some flowers cannot be grown without it. The peat may have to be
purchased from a distance, but there is no difficulty in obtaining it.
A constant supply of decayed leaf-mould may possibly be arranged on the
spot by sweeping up leaves and making a fresh heap every fall. In due
time these leaves will decay and make useful potting soil. If this is
out of the question, the requisite quantity must be purchased.
The preparation of soil for pot plants is frequently postponed until
the day on which it is actually required. This is a bad practice, and
results too often in the use of an improper proportion of the
materials, and perhaps in their defective admixture. In this, as in all
other operations connected with horticulture, the men who make all
requisite arrangements in advance will achieve the highest results. In
no pursuit of life is it more necessary to forecast coming wants than
in the culture of flowers. We will suppose that three or four weeks
hence many pots are to be filled with Primulas. The man who grows this
flower with any degree of enthusiasm will not defer the preparation of
the soil until the day arrives for potting the plants. He will
determine in advance the proportions of loam, leaf-mould, and sand,
have the whole thoroughly incorporated, and possibly sifted to remove
stones. With these may come away some undecayed fibres, which make
excellent material for laying over the crocks at the bottom of each
pot. Forethought of this kind is certain of an ample reward.
Potting soil should also be in the right condition as to moisture. This
is not easy to describe, but it must handle freely, and yet there
should be no necessity for the immediate application of water after
sowing seeds or planting bulbs. In the event of the compost being too
dry, give it a soaking and allow it to rest for one or more days,
according to the time of year and the state of the atmosphere.
Pots, new or old, should be soaked in water before use. They are very
porous, and by absorbing moisture from the soil they may at once make
it too dry, although in exactly the right condition before being placed
in the pots. And old pots ought never to be used until they have been
scrubbed quite clean. These may appear to be trivial matters, unworthy
of attention. They have, however, an influence on the health of plants,
and experienced growers know that a few apparent trifles make all the
difference between success and failure. Pots which are dirty, or
covered with green moss, prevent access of air, and tend to bring about
a sickly growth. Cleanliness in horticulture is valuable for its own
sake, and for the orderly routine it necessitates on the part of the
cultivator.
Pots are known both by number and by size. They are sold by the ‘cast,’
and a cast always consists of the distinguishing number. The following
are the numbers and sizes:—
Number in Cast Inches
72 Inside diameter across top 2-1/2
Small 60 ” ” 2-3/4
Mid. 60 ” ” 3
Large 60 ” ” 3-1/2
Small 54 ” ” 4
Large 54 ” ” 4-1/4
Small 48 ” ” 4-3/4
Large 48 ” ” 5
40 ” ” 5-1/2
32 ” ” 6-1/4
28 ” ” 7
24 ” ” 7-1/2
16 ” ” 8-1/2
12 ” ” 9-1/2
8 ” ” 11
6 ” ” 12-1/2
4 ” ” 14
2 ” ” 15-1/2
1 ” ” 18
Watering is sometimes conducted on the principle that the usual time
has arrived, and therefore the plants must have water. But do they need
it? Press the fingers firmly on the surface; if particles of soil
adhere it is too dry. Or tap the pots smartly with the knuckles or with
a stick, when a clear and unmistakable answer will be obtained. Plants
differ widely in their demand for water. Some are very thirsty, others
require less frequent attention. The season of the year and the state
of the atmosphere have also to be considered, as well as the fact that
a heavy soil is more retentive of moisture than a lighter compost. A
watchful eye and a willing hand will seldom err on this point. The
water should always be of the same temperature as the house, otherwise
the plants will be constantly checked. A tank in the greenhouse meets
this requirement. In its absence, the watering-pots should be kept full
under the stage, and they will be ready when wanted.
In the open ground, it is better to water a few plots thoroughly for
two or three successive evenings, and then have an interval, rather
than moisten the surface daily. The effect of constantly applying small
quantities of water is to encourage the surface growth of roots. Then,
if the sun shines fiercely on the soil, the first day of neglect
results in immense mischief.
Drainage is easily managed. Into each pot put a crock almost the size
of the bottom, with the convex side upwards. There need be no niggling
to remove sharp angles, or to make the fragment shapely. Cover this
with smaller crocks, and these with moss, or in some cases with small
pieces of charcoal. If the compost has a proper admixture of sharp sand
or grit, free drainage will be insured, and yet the soil cannot be
washed through the pot. Silver sand is often employed, and there is
nothing better for the purpose. But the sweepings from gravel walks,
finely sifted, may be substituted. Road grit is often infested with
weed seeds.
Ventilation is important, for a house full of plants cannot long be
kept closed with impunity. The lights should be opened whenever the
state of the weather may permit, and by doing this on the side opposite
to the quarter whence the wind blows it is frequently safe to give air
when it may be dangerous from other points of the compass; and it
should be done early in the day, before the sun gets hot. Often the
lights remain closed on a sunny morning until the atmosphere becomes
stifling; and then perhaps plants which have been made sensitive by
excess of heat are subjected to a killing draught.
In managing Temperature, there should be no violent alternations of
heat and cold, for these bring speedy disaster; and, it is unwise to
employ more heat than is actually necessary. Deviations from this rule
are generally traceable to neglect. If the proper season for sowing
seed of some important flower has been allowed to pass, an attempt is
made to compensate for lost time by hurrying the growth in a forcing
temperature. Every needless degree of heat will be harmful, and result
in attenuated growth, poverty of colour, or in the attack of some
insect plague which the weakly plant seldom invites in vain. It is wise
always to employ the lowest temperature in which plants will flourish.
This necessitates the proper time for their full development, and will
result in a sturdy growth capable of yielding a bountiful display of
bloom. Occasionally it is requisite to force some special subject, such
as bulbs for Christmas festivities. Even then it is advisable to
augment the temperature very gradually, and to defer the employment of
its highest power until the latest possible moment.
Plants are frequently taken straight from the forcing pit into a cold
room, to their utter ruin. A moment’s reflection will show the folly of
such a proceeding. They should be prepared for the change by gradual
transfer through lower temperatures; and if only a few hours are
occupied in the process it will help them to pass the ordeal with less
injury.
It should be an established custom to examine the seed-pans at least
once every day, and morning is the best time for the task. If work has
to be done, there is the whole day to arrange for its accomplishment.
Whereas, if the visit is not made until evening, there may not remain
sufficient daylight to do what is necessary. Just as seedlings are
starting, a few hours’ neglect will render them weak and leggy.
When transferring plants from seed-pans, it is usual to put them round
the edges of pots. This is no mere caprice, but is founded on the
well-ascertained fact that seedlings establish their roots with greater
readiness near the edge of the pot than away from it.
In the following monthly notes, our principal object is to offer a
series of reminders which will insure the sowing of various flower
seeds and the planting of bulbs at their proper periods, and thus save
the disappointment of losing some important display for a whole season.
Those who have command of large resources will sow certain seeds a
month earlier than we recommend, and their intimate knowledge and
abundant facilities justify their practice. But we have especially in
view the possibilities for an amateur, and of gardens moderate in
extent, where appliances may not be of the most perfect kind.
When seeds are once sown or bulbs potted, the work is before the
cultivator, and appeals mutely for attention. Therefore it is not our
purpose to give detailed and continuous instructions month by month for
every flower. Our remarks are limited to hints at the time for sowing
or planting, and to some few points which may subsequently appear to
demand notice.
For convenience of reference, the subjects are presented alphabetically
under each month.
JANUARY.
In the open ground there is little or nothing of interest in the way of
flowers, but the greenhouses and pits are full of promise. A constant
watch must be kept on the barometer, and the materials for repelling
frost or bleak winds should be at perfect command, so that there may be
ample provision for saving plants from biting weather.
Achimenes are stove bulbs and cannot be grown without a sufficiency of
heat. A warm greenhouse will answer for them, and some gardeners
produce fair specimens in frames over hot-beds. The bulbs will lie
dormant for a considerable time, so that it is easy to have a
succession of flowers. A few should be started in January, employing
sandy loam for the pots. Follow up with others at intervals.
Amaryllis may be sown in any month of the year, but the most
satisfactory period is immediately after the seed is ripened, and it is
advisable to put one seed only in each small pot. The slow and
irregular germination of the finest new seed makes the separate system
almost a necessity. A rich compost, well-drained pots, and a
temperature of about 65° suit these plants.
Anemone.—See remarks under October.
Antirrhinums raised in heat now will flower from July onwards. Prick
off the seedlings, and gradually harden for planting out in May. There
are dwarf, medium, and tall varieties, of many beautiful colours.
Begonia, Tuberous-rooted.—The grace and beauty of this plant have
placed it in the front rank of popular favourites. For the foliage
alone it is worth growing, and the flowers are unique in both form and
colour. Raising plants from seed is not only the least expensive
process, but it possesses all the charm arising from the hope of some
novelty which shall eclipse previously known varieties. As a matter of
fact, new attractions either in colour or in habit are introduced
almost every year. From a sowing made now plants should flower in July
and August.
The seed is small, and requires careful handling. It is also slow and
capricious in germinating, and many growers have their own pet methods
of starting it. Good results are obtained by insuring free drainage,
and partly filling the pots with rather rough fibrous compost, covered
with a layer of fine sandy loam made even for a seed-bed. This is
sprinkled with water, and the seed is sown very thinly. Some
experienced growers make a rather loose surface, press the seed gently
into it, and do not finish with a covering of soil. The majority,
however, will find it safer to give a slight sifting of fine earth over
the seed. Then comes a trial of patience, and as the seedlings appear
at intervals, the wisdom of thin sowing will be apparent, for each one
can be lifted and potted as it becomes ready, without wasting the
remainder. An even temperature of about 65° is essential during
germination.
Begonia bulbs which have been stored through the winter will need
careful watching. Not until they start naturally should there be any
attempt to induce growth, or in all probability it will result in the
destruction of the bulb. Such as show signs of life should be potted in
good soil, commencing with small pots, and shifting into larger sizes
as the pots become full of roots. Until the final size is reached,
remove all flowers. A warm humid atmosphere is favourable to them while
growing, but when flowering begins moisture will be injurious.
Begonia, Fibrous-rooted, may also be sown at the end of this month or
in February, and again early in March. Under similar treatment to that
advised for Tuberous-rooted Begonias, the plants will be ready in June
for transfer to beds or as an edging to borders.
Canna.—From the popular name of Indian Shot it will naturally be
inferred that the seed is extremely hard and spherical. It needs
soaking in water for about twenty-four hours before sowing. Even then
it will probably be a considerable time in germinating, and there will
also be variable intervals between the appearance of the seedlings. A
high temperature is necessary to insure a start; but after the young
plants are transferred to single pots, they should be kept steadily
going in a more moderate heat until ready for the border or
sub-tropical garden in June. Meanwhile they will need re-potting two or
three times, and should have a rich and rather stiff compost.
Carnation.—Seed of the early-flowering class should be sown in heat
during this month and again in February. With very little trouble,
plants can be brought forward and transferred to the open ground, where
they will give a splendid display in about six months from the date of
sowing.
Chrysanthemums of the large-flowering perennial type can easily be
raised from seed. If sown during this month or in February in a
moderate heat, the plants will flower the first season. Pot the
seedlings immediately they are ready, then harden, and put them out of
doors as early as may be safe. This treatment will keep them dwarf and
robust. Seedlings should not be stopped, but be allowed to grow quite
naturally.
Cinerarias should have air whenever it is possible. Choose the middle
of the day for watering, and do not slop the water about carelessly, or
mildew may result. In houses which are not lighted all round, the
plants should be turned regularly to prevent them from facing one way.
Such specimens are worthless for the dinner-table, and will be
diminished in value for decorating the drawing-room.
Cyclamens are still in the height of their beauty. The pots have become
so full of roots that ordinary watering partially fails of its purpose.
An occasional immersion of the pots for about half an hour will result
in marked benefit to the plants. The flowers, when taken from the corm,
should be lifted by a smart pull. If cut, the stems bleed and exhaust
the root.
Where a succession of this flower is valued, a sowing should be made in
this month. Dibble the seed, an inch apart and a quarter of an inch
deep, in pots or pans firmly filled with rich porous soil; and place in
heat of not less than 56° and not exceeding 70°; the less the
temperature varies the better. Cyclamen seed is both slow and irregular
in germinating, and sometimes proves a sore trial even to those who are
blessed with patience. As the seedlings become ready transfer to small
pots, and shift on as growth demands, always keeping the crown of the
corm free from soil. The increasing power of the sun will render
shading essential; yet a position near the glass is most advantageous
to the plants.
Freesia.—This elegant and delicately perfumed flower is annually raised
in large numbers from seed. From this month to March sowings may be
made in heat, and as the roots are extremely brittle, re-potting is a
delicate operation.
Gesnera.—Those who have once grown this handsome conservatory plant
will not afterwards consent to be without it. The richly marked foliage
contrasts admirably with the flowers. Sow in the manner advised for
Gloxinia, and the two plants may be grown in the same house.