GREENHOUSE AND STOVE BULBS
Clivias--Colocasias--Crinums--Cyclamens--Cyrtanthuses--Eucharises and
Urceocharis--Eurycles
CLIVIAS (_syn._ IMANTOPHYLLUM)
The Clivias and Imantophyllums were formerly kept distinct, but are now
combined by botanists, the name Imantophyllum being retained as that of
a sub-genus. Both have long leaves in opposite rows and umbels of
flowers, which are of various shades of yellow, orange, or scarlet. C.
nobilis grows about a foot high, and has bright red-yellow flowers.
Gardneri has fewer flowers (twelve to twenty in the umbel). Miniata is
the only species belonging to the sub-genus Imantophyllum, and
seedlings, or hybrids between it and the other species, have been
obtained in considerable numbers. The catalogues of leading bulb
dealers may be consulted for the varieties now in commerce. All are
ornamental in pots or planted out in beds or borders in airy houses,
with a temperature of from fifty to sixty degrees. In spring and summer
they should have plenty of water, both at the roots and applied by
means of the syringe. A rather lower temperature and less water are
desirable in spring. They should have a soil composed of good fibry
loam and peat in the proportion of about three of the former to one of
the latter, with a little charcoal, bone-meal, and silver sand. C.
miniata flowers in spring and summer, and the other species in winter
and spring.
COLOCASIAS
The Colocasias are very ornamental plants with large handsome leaves,
and are related to and require the same culture as the Caladiums. There
is considerable confusion in the nomenclature of these plants in gardens,
and Caladiums are sometimes found named Alocasias or Colocasias, and
_vice versa_. The principal species are antiquorum; its variety,
esculentum (syn. Caladium esculentem), sometimes used in the south for
sub-tropical effect, being planted out in June, and freely supplied
with water; and odorata.
CRINUMS
We have already referred to the hardy Crinums, but this work would be
imperfect without a few details about the stove species, among which
are some plants of the highest types of floral beauty. These should
have a good soil of fibrous loam, peat, a little sand, and charcoal to
keep the compost sweet, as the plants require plenty of water while
growing, C. campanulatum and C. purpurascens especially requiring this,
as they do best standing in a pan of water. They are also greatly
benefited by syringing overhead. After the flowering period is over
water may be reduced. They need large pots or tubs, as they form fleshy
roots which should be as little disturbed as possible. There are so
many Crinums, that a short selection of well-proved, good species
suitable for the stove is necessary. These are--amabile, three feet,
red; asiaticum, two feet, white; campanulatum, one foot, red-purple;
giganteum, three feet, white; Kirkii, one and a half feet, white,
striped red; Macowani, two feet, pink; purpurascens, one foot,
claret-red; and zeylanicum, three feet, white, striped red.
CYCLAMENS
The varieties of Cyclamen latifolium, or persicum, a plant which has
yielded under cultivation so many beautiful flowers, are general
favourites, and are so easy to cultivate that they are largely grown
for the decoration of glass structures and rooms. There are several
methods adopted for raising the fine plants so often seen nowadays,
which are generally young specimens grown from seeds. The following
plan is followed by many successful growers. The seeds are sown from
the beginning of August to the end of November, in pans of fibrous
loam, some silver sand, and a fifth of leaf-soil. They are placed in an
intermediate house, or a temperature of about fifty-five degrees, and
in a little shade until the seedlings have begun to appear, when they
may be placed near the glass and pricked off when they can be handled.
They may be grown on in a similar temperature during the winter, but a
little increase may be given immediately after potting off in February
or March into three-inch pots. They should be placed in frames turned
towards the north for the summer, receiving a potting into five-inch
pots in July, and being kept close for a few days afterwards. After
taking indoors they must be near the glass, and syringed frequently to
keep off red spider.
Corms which have flowered may be kept, and with careful treatment will
flower again, although scarcely so freely as young plants. They may
either be planted out in frames for the summer or plunged in their
pots, repotting when they show sign of making fresh growth. The
large-flowered varieties are very handsome, and the Papilio, or
Butterfly-formed flowers, and those with crested blooms are also
considerably appreciated by those who like new flowers.
CYRTANTHUSES
The Cyrtanthi are among the neglected bulbs in ordinary gardens, but
when bulbous plants once more take their proper place they will be more
largely grown. The genus now includes Monella of Salisbury and
Gastronema of Herbert, and the plants have either pendulous or erect
tubular flowers, those having the latter being formerly called
Gastronema. Like many other Cape Amaryllideæ, the Cyrtanthus requires
to be kept dry in winter, but to be well supplied with water after
starting into growth. Carneus and obliquus must not be dried off. Loam,
peat, and sand form a suitable compost. They will grow in a greenhouse
in summer, but should be kept in a stove during the winter months. The
fragrant C. Mackenii, with white flowers, is pretty. Macowani,
orange-scarlet, and sanguineus, bright red, are both fine species, and
those desiring a larger number may grow albiflorus, white; carneus,
bright red; obliquus, yellow; and odorus, red. Others are
angustifolius, Huttoni, lutescens, smithianus, Tuckii, and ventricosus.
EUCHARISES AND URCEOCHARIS
The Eucharis is such a favourite with everyone that it is a matter of
much regret that it has suffered in so many gardens from the ravages of
what is known as the Eucharis mite (_Rhizoglyphus Robini_), which
also affects other bulbs of allied character. There seems little doubt
that this is brought about by errors in watering, as the Eucharis
dislikes suffering from either too little or too much water. It should
not have a season of rest from water, as many suppose, but should not
be forced into flower more than twice in a year. Clibran's Eucharis
Mite Killer, used as directed on the package, or a weak preparation of
Kerosene Emulsion, are equally effectual, but the Emulsion should not
touch the actual roots. So beautiful a plant is worth every attention,
as we have nothing among other stove bulbs which can approach its pure
white, elegantly formed flowers and dark-green foliage. The Eucharis
likes a compost of two or three parts of good loam to one of leaf-mould
or turfy peat, and a little charcoal to keep the compost sweet. It
requires a temperature of from sixty to seventy degrees in winter,
rising to seventy-five and eighty degrees in summer. Syringing overhead
on bright days is necessary, and a little reduction in the temperature
is desirable when the leaves are of full size. Six or eight bulbs may
be placed in a ten-inch pot.
The most popular Eucharis is E. grandiflora (syn. amazonica); there is
a fragrant variety of this named E. grandiflora fragrans, and others
are E. g. Lowii and E. g. Moorei. Candida and Sanderi are also good
species, and hybrid forms, named burfordensis and Stevensii, are also
meritorious. The other species are bakeriana, elmetana (hybrid),
Lehmanni, Mastersii, and subedentata. The hybrid Urceocharis, from
the Eucharis and Urceolina, is cultivated in the same way.
EURYCLES
The Eurycles is little known in private gardens, but the two species
form interesting occupants of the stove or greenhouse, with their
umbels of white flowers, and broad, heart-shaped or ovate leaves. E.
amboinensis is a stove species about two feet high, flowering in March.
The other, E. Cunninghami, likes a warm greenhouse. It grows about a
foot high. One part leaf-soil to three of good loam, with a little
sand, will grow them satisfactorily. After they have completed their
growth water may be diminished, and finally withheld to allow them to
ripen.