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BEAUTIFUL BULBOUS PLANTS FOR THE OPEN AIR.
_________________________________________
| |
| The "Beautiful" Series. |
| By JOHN WEATHERS, F.R.H.S., N.R.S. |
| |
| _With 33 Coloured Plates by John Allen, |
| Large Crown 8vo., Cloth Gilt, 6/-each._ |
| |
| =Beautiful Roses= for Garden and |
| Greenhouse. Culture, Propagation, |
| Pruning. |
| |
| =Beautiful Flowering Trees and |
| Shrubs= for British and Irish |
| Gardens. |
| |
| =Beautiful Garden Flowers= for |
| Town and Country. |
|_________________________________________|
PLATE 1. _FRONTISPIECE._ IXIAS (1-6)
BEAUTIFUL BULBOUS PLANTS
FOR THE OPEN AIR.
BY JOHN WEATHERS, F.R.H.S., N.R.S.,
LECTURER ON HORTICULTURE TO THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY COUNCIL
FORMERLY OF THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW: ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, &C.
AUTHOR OF "A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS." "BEAUTIFUL ROSES."
"BEAUTIFUL FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS," "BEAUTIFUL GARDEN FLOWERS."
With 33 full page Coloured Plates by Mrs. Philip Hensley.
LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT, & CO., Ltd.
DAY & SON (25 YEARS LITHOGRAPHERS TO THE QUEEN AND THE PRINCE OF
WALES), 32, WESTMINSTER MANSIONS, S.W.
PREFACE.
Although many articles have appeared from time to time in the
horticultural newspapers and periodicals dealing with various aspects of
the subject, it cannot be said that Bulbous Plants have hitherto
received the attention they deserve in gardening literature. This volume
therefore appears at an opportune moment to meet a recognised want, and
in fulfilment of the promise made in the preface to "BEAUTIFUL GARDEN
FLOWERS."
While Bulbous Plants as a class have been somewhat neglected, it may be
noted that one or two families have been dealt with specially in years
gone by. In this connection mention may be made of the magnificent
"Monograph of the Genus Lilium," by Mr. H. J. Elwes; the "Narcissus, its
History and Culture," by Mr. F. W. Burbidge, M.A., and Mr. J. G. Baker,
F.R.S.; a "History of the Genus Crocus," by the Hon. and Rev. Dean
Herbert, whose original drawings and MS. notes are preserved in the
Lindley Library. Mr. Geo. Maw has also dealt specially with the
"Crocus"; and more recently the Rev. Eugene Bourne with the "Daffodil";
Miss Jekyle and Mr. Goldring with "Lilies," &c.
A glance at the coloured plates will perhaps be sufficient to give the
reader a good idea as to the numerous kinds of Bulbous Plants now grown
in gardens, and of the marvellous range of colour to be found in their
blossoms. It has not been considered advisable to include in this volume
such hothouse bulbous plants as Eucharis, Crinum, Hymenocallis,
Pancratium, but only those kinds that are most likely to give general,
if not universal, satisfaction when grown in the open air according to
the cultural instructions to be found under the heads of the various
genera.
In the preparation of this work I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to
the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, through whose kindness I have
had opportunities for examining the bulbs or corms of the rarer plants
referred to in the letterpress.
I also owe my best thanks for the specimens kindly supplied to
illustrate the work by A. Worsley, Esq., of Isleworth; Messrs. Barr and
Son, of Covent Garden; Messrs. Wallace and Company, of Colchester;
Messrs. Ware, of Feltham; and Mr. Perry, of Winchmore Hill.
JOHN WEATHERS.
LIST OF PLATES.
PLATE. FIG. PLATE. FIG.
1. IXIAS (_Frontispiece_) 1-6 18. CAMASSIA CUSICKI 70
LILIUM PYRENAICUM 71
2. SCILLA SIBIRICA MULTIFLORA 7 ALLIUM ERDELII 72
GALANTHUS NIVALIS 8 IXIOLIRION PALLASI 73
CHIONODOXA LUCILIAE 9
HYACINTHUS AZUREUS 10 19. ORNITHOGALUM PYRAMIDALE 74
BREVOORTIA IDA-MAIA 75
3. BULBOUS IRISES: BRODIAEA LAXA 76
I. HISTRIO 11 BRODIAEA IXIOIDES 77
I. BAKERIANA 12
I. KOLPAKOWSKYANA 13 20. GALTONIA CANDICANS 78
I. DANFORDIAE 14 SISYRINCHIUM GRANDIFLORUM 79
I. PERSICA 15 BRODIAEA HOWELLI LILACINA 80
4. DAFFODILS: 21. EARLY-FLOWERING
ELLEN WILLMOTT 16 GLADIOLI 81-83
MDME. DE GRAAFF 17 22. CALOCHORTUS VENUSTUS 84
HORSFIELDI 18 CALOCHORTUS ALBUS 85
CALOCHORTUS PULCHELLUS 86
5. DAFFODILS
CYCLAMINEUS 19 23. GLADIOLUS OPPOSITIFLORUS 87
TRIANDRUS ALBUS 20 LILIUM CANADENSE, VARS. 88-89
PRINCESS MARY OF CAMBRIDGE 21
GLORIA MUNDI 22 24. LILIUM TIGRINUM 90
SIR WATKIN 23 BRODIAEA BRIDGESI 91
6. DAFFODILS: 25. LILIUM TENUIFOLIUM 92
GRAND MONARQUE 24 LILIUM HANSONI 93
SOLEIL D'OR 25 LILIUM LONGIFLORUM 94
WEARDALE PERFECTION 26
LULWORTH 27 26. LILIUM MARTAGON ALBUM 95
WATSONIA ARDERNEI 96
7. GARDENIA NARCISSUS 28 LILIUM RUBELLUM 97
POET'S NARCISSUS 29 LILIUM COLCHICUM 98
HYACINTHUS AMETHYSTINUS 30
27. WATSONIA MERIANA 99
8. FRITILLARIAS: WATSONIA ALBA 100
F. MOGGRIDGEI 31 WATSONIA ANGUSTA 101
F. WALUJEWI 32 MONTBRETIA
F. MELEAGRIS ALBA 33 CROCOSMIAEFLORA 102
F. RECURVA 34
28. GLADIOLUS NANCEIANUS 103
GLADIOLUS LEMOINEI 104
9. TULIPS 35-38 GLADIOLUS CHILDSI 105
10. TULIPS 39-42 29. ZEPHYRANTHES ATAMASCO 106
ORNITHOGALUM ARABICUM 107
11. HYACINTHS 43-46 ORNITHOGALUM NUTANS 108
12. LEUCOJUM VERNUM 47 30. CRINUM MOOREI 109
MUSCARI CONICUM 48 TIGRIDIA LILACEA 110
ERYTHRONIUM JOHNSONI 49
TECOPHILAEA CYANOCROCUS 50 31. BELLADONNA LILY 111
DIERAMA PULCHERRIMA 112
13. BRODIAEA UNIFLORA 51-52
CHIONODOXA SARDENSIS 53 32. TULBAGHIA VIOLACEA 113
ERYTHRONIUM DENS-CANIS 54-55 ZEPHYRANTHES CANDIDA 114
CRINUM POWELLI ALBUM 115
14. ENGLISH IRISES 56-59 LYCORIS SQUAMIGERA 116
15. SPANISH IRISES 60-63 33. CROCUS MEDIUS 117
COLCHICUM SPECIOSUM 118
16. MADONNA LILY 64 STERNBERGIA LUTEA 119
FRITILLARIA IMPERIALIS, STERNBERGIA MACRANTHA 120
VARS. 65-66 CROCUS OCHROLEUCUS 121
CROCUS SPECIOSUS 122
17. LILIUM CROCEUM 67
ALLIUM MOLY 68
SCILLA PERUVIANA ALBA 69
CONTENTS. PAGE
Preface v
List of Plates viii
Index ix
Introduction 1
Geographical Distribution 6
Something about Bulbs and Corms 7
Soil for Bulbous Plants 16
Hints to Beginners 18
How Deep should Bulbs be Planted? 22
Natural Sinking of Bulbs and Corms 25
Bulbs without Contractile Roots 27
Propagation of Bulbous Plants:--
By Offsets, Bulbils, Leaf-Scales, Division, Seeds. 29-36
Lifting and Storing Bulbs 36
Combinations of Bulbous and Non-Bulbous Plants 38
Naturalising Bulbous Plants in the Grass 41
Bulbous Plants under Trees and Shrubs 43
Bulbous Plants for Cut Flowers 43
Bulbous Plants for Cold Greenhouses 46
Bulbous Plants for Window Boxes 48
Descriptions, Culture, Propagation, &c.,
of the Best Bulbous Plants for the Open Air 50
Enemies of Bulbous Plants 141
Manuring Bulbous Plants 148
INDEX
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| Acis, 96 | Combinations with | Greenhouses, |
| Ajax Daffodils, 111 | Bulbs, 38 | bulbs for, 46 |
| Allium, 50 | Contractile | Grubs, 141 |
| Amaryllis, 51 | Roots, 27 | |
| Angel's Tears, 116 | Corbularia, 114 | Habranthus, 81 |
| Anomatheca, 92 | Corms, 12 | Homeria, 55 |
| Antholyza, 53 | Corn Flag, 78 | Hyacinth, Grape, 106|
| | Corn Lily, 89 | " Musk, 108 |
| Babiana, 53 | Crinum, 66 | " Ostrich |
| Baboon Root, 53 | Crocosma, 67 | feather, 107 |
| Basal rot, 147 | Crocus, 68 | " Star, 122 |
| Basic Slag, 148 | " Autumn, 70, 65 | " Wood, 121 |
| Beginners, | " Chilian, 126 | Hyacinths |
| Hints to, 18| " Cloth of Gold, 70| " in glasses, 84 |
| Belladonna Lily, 51 | " " Silver, 69| " in pots, 85 |
| Bessera, 54 | Cut Flowers, | Hyacinthus, 82 |
| Bicolor | bulbs for, 43 | |
| Daffodils, 112 | Cyclobothra, 59 | Iris, 86 |
| Bloomeria, 55 | | " English, 87 |
| Bluebell, 121 | Daffodils, 108 | " Spanish, 87 |
| " Spanish, 121 | Daffodils, Ajax, 111| Ixia, 89 |
| Bobartia, 55 | " Bicolor, 112 | Ixiolirion, 91 |
| Bravoa, 55 | " Hooped | |
| Brevoortia, 56 | Petticoat, 114 | Jacobaea Lily, 124 |
| Brodiaea, 56 | " Star, 112 | Jonquil, 116 |
| Bulbils, 32, 95 | " in Scilly Isles,4| " Queen Anne's, 116|
| Bulbocodium, 58 | " Tenby, 111 | Joss Flower, 115 |
| Bulbs, buying, 19 | Dierama, 71 | |
| " and corms, 7 | Dog's Tooth | Kainit, 142, 149 |
| " in grass, 41 | Violet, 72 | |
| " lifting, 36 | | Lapeyrousia, 92 |
| " sinking of, 25 | Enemies of bulbous | Leaf-scales, 31 |
| " storing, 37 | plants, 141 | Leaves, |
| Butter and Eggs, 113| Erythronium, 72 | importance of, 13 |
| | Eucomis, 73 | Lent Lily, 111 |
| Calochortus, 58 | | Leopard Lily, 102 |
| Calliprora lutea, 57| Ferraria, 74 | Leucojum, 92 |
| Camassia, 62 | Fire Cracker, | LILIUM, 93 |
| Camass Root, 62 | Californian, 56 | Alexandrae, 97 |
| Chionodoxa, 63 | Flag, Corn, 78 | auratum, 99 |
| Chiono-Scilla, 63 | Flowers, | Batemanniae, 97 |
| Chlorogalum, 64 | when to pick, 45 | Bloomerianum, 101 |
| Cloves, 30 | Fritillaria, 75 | Browni, 100 |
| Codlins and | Fungoid diseases,146| bulbiferum, 97 |
| Cream, 113 | | Burbanki, 103 |
| Colchicum, 64 | Gagea, 76 | canadense, 103 |
| | Galanthus, 77 | candidum, 97 |
| | Galtonia, 78 | Catesbaei, 103 |
| | Ganymede's Cup, 116 | chalcedonicum, 98 |
| | Gladiolus, 78 | colchicum, 102 |
| | Glory of the Snow,63| |
| | Grass, | |
| | bulbs in the, 41 | |
| | Green leaves, | |
| | value of, 13 | |
|_____________________|_____________________|_____________________|
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| concolor, 100 | " Madonna, 97, 146 | Seed sowing, 36 |
| cordifolium, 104 | " Mariposa, 58 | Sisyrinchium, 123 |
| croceum, 98 | " Orange, 98 | Snowdrop, 77 |
| Dalhansoni, 98 | " Sacred, 115 | Snowflake, 92 |
| dauricum, 98 | " Swamp, 104 | Soap Plant, 64 |
| elegans, 100 | " Tiger, 103 | Soil for bulbs, 16 |
| excelsum, 99 | " Turk's Cap, 102 | Soot, 142 |
| giganteum, 100 | Lime, 142 | Sparaxis, 124 |
| Grayi, 104 | Liver | Sparrows, 144 |
| Hansoni, 101 | of Sulphur, 146 | Spawn, 30 |
| Henryi, 98 | Lycoris, 105 | Sprekelia, 124 |
| Humboldti, 101 | | Squill, 120 |
| japonicum, 101 | Madonna Lily,97,146 | Star of |
| kewense, 101 | Manures | Bethlehem, 117 |
| Krameri, 101 | for Bulbs, 148 | " " yellow, 76 |
| lancifolium, 102 | Meadow Saffron, 64 | Sternbergia, 125 |
| Leichtlini, 101 | Merendera, 105 | Storing bulbs, 37 |
| Loddigesianum, 102| Merodon, 144 | Superphosphate, 148 |
| longiflorum, 101 | Milla, 106 | Swamp Lily, 104 |
| maritimum, 104 | Montbretia, 128 | Sword Lily, 78 |
| Marhan, 98 | Muscari, 106 | |
| Martagon, 102 | | Tecophilaea, 126 |
| monadelphum, 102 | Narcissus, 108 | Tiger Flower, 127 |
| pardalinum, 102 | " Fly, 144 | Tiger Lily, 103 |
| pomponium, 98 | " Poet's, 110 | Tigridia, 127 |
| Parryi, 104 | " Polyantha, 114 | Trees and Shrubs, |
| pyrenaicum, 99 | " Tazetta, 114 | bulbs under, 43 |
| Roezli, 102 | " When to plant,109 | Tritonia, 128 |
| rubellum, 99 | Naturalising | Tuberose, 119 |
| speciosum, 102 | bulbs, 41 | Tulbaghia, 130 |
| superbum, 104 | Nitrate of soda, 142| Tulip, 131 |
| Szovitsianum, 102 | Nothoscordum, 117 | Tulip, Cottage, 137 |
| tenuifolium, 102 | | " Darwin, 136 |
| testaceum, 99 | Offsets, 29 | " Dragon, 136 |
| Thunbergianum, 100| Orange Lily, 98 | " Mayflowering, 137|
| tigrinum, 103 | Ornithogalum, 117 | " Parrot, 136 |
| umbellatum, 99 | | " Seedling, 134 |
| Washingtonianum,99| Pancratium, 118 | " Star, 59 |
| Lilies, | Planting bulbs, 22 | " Wild, 2 |
| distribution of, 95| Polianthes, 119 | Turk's Cap Lily,102|
| " planting, 96 | Poor Men's | |
| "for damp soils,103| Orchids, 87 | Watsonia, 138 |
| Lily Disease, 146 | Propagation, 29 | Window boxes, |
| Lily | Puschkinia, 119 | bulbs for, 48 |
| " of the Field, 126| | Winter Daffodil, 125|
| " Jacobaea, 124 | Quamash, 62 | Wireworms, 141 |
| " Leopard, 102 | | |
| | Roots, | Zephyranthes, 140 |
| | contractile, 27 | Zephyr Flower, 140 |
| | | |
| | Sacred Lily, 115 | |
| | Salicylic Acid, 147 | |
| | Salt, 143 | |
| | Schizostylis, 120 | |
| | Scilla, 120 | |
|_____________________|_____________________|_____________________|
BEAUTIFUL BULBOUS PLANTS.
INTRODUCTION.
The cultivation of Bulbous Plants has reached a point of popularity at
the present day that it has never before attained. And there is every
reason to believe that this popularity is increasing from year to year
as more people become better acquainted with these plants, and the ease
with which the great majority of them may be grown in almost any garden.
Indeed there are now so many kinds of bulbous plants that there is no
difficulty in making a selection to suit the smallest garden or the most
modest purse.
Of course, some kinds, such as Tulips, Daffodils and Narcissi,
Hyacinths, Crocuses, Snowdrops, Scillas, Bluebells, Chionodoxas, Grape
Hyacinths, Lilies, Colchicums, Gladioli, and Montbretias, will be always
probably amongst the first favourites with garden lovers. But there is
no reason why the Mariposa Lilies and Star Tulips, the Brodiaeas and
Millas, the Sternbergias and Fritillarias, and many others should not in
the course of time become almost equally popular when they become better
known.
Some kinds of bulbous plants have been known in British Gardens--and no
doubt in continental ones also--ever since such a thing as gardening
proper came to be distinguished from mere agriculture. Our native or
naturalised bulbs--such as the Snake's Head Fritillary (_Fritillaria
Meleagris_), the Yellow Star of Bethlehem (_Gagea lutea_), as well as
the white ones (_Ornithogalum nutans_, _pyrenaicum_, and _umbellatum_),
the Autumn Crocus (_Colchicum autumnale_), the Lent Lily or Daffodil
(_Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus_), the Snowdrop (_Galanthus nivalis_), the
Snowflake (_Leucojum vernum_), the Grape Hyacinth (_Muscari racemosum_),
the Squill (_Scilla verna_), and the Bluebell (_S. festalis_), the
Martagon Lily (_Lilium Martagon_), and the Wild Tulip (_Tulipa
sylvestris_) have been grown as garden plants for 400 years or more.
The great monastic establishments were the seats of gardening as of
learning, and it is in connection with them we find the first traces of
bulbous or any other plants being intelligently cultivated. Besides the
plants mentioned, our earliest garden records show that such bulbous
plants as the Dog's Tooth Violet (_Erythronium Dens-Canis_), the Crown
Imperial (_Fritillaria imperialis_), _Gladiolus communis_, the Garden
Hyacinth (_Hyacinthus orientalis_), the Madonna Lily (_Lilium
candidum_), the Poet's Narcissus and the Jonquil (_N. poeticus_ and _N.
Jonquilla_), the Star Hyacinth (_Scilla amoena_), the Lily of the Field
(_Sternbergia lutea_), and Gesner's Tulip (_T. Gesneriana_), were among
the first kinds cultivated from the beginning of the 16th century, and
they are all more popular to-day than ever. Following these we find such
Tulips as _suaveolens_ and _Clusiana_, the yellow-flowered Onion
(_Allium Moly_), the Cloth of Gold Crocus (_C. Susianus_), the Byzantine
Gladiolus (_G. byzantinus_), and others in the 17th century. The
beginning of the 18th century saw the introduction to our gardens of the
Belladonna Lily (_Amaryllis Belladonna_), and later on the Babianas,
Ixias, and other Gladioli like _blandus_, _cuspidatus_, and
_cardinalis_.
It is to the 19th century, however, that we owe not only many
introductions of new kinds, but also the development of the great
enterprise that has been shown in their extensive cultivation, and the
natural methods of using them in the garden.
To this period, and especially to the latter half of it, belong most of
our fine Lilies, Bulbous Irises, Mariposa Lilies and Star Tulips,
Brodiaeas, Chionodoxas, Scillas, and American Dog's Tooth Violets. It has
also been the age when the florist's varieties of Gladiolus, Daffodils,
Tulips, Hyacinths, and Crocuses have been brought almost, if not quite,
to the acme of perfection by intelligent cultivation and careful
selection.
All this has led to the growth of many kinds of bulbous plants having
become a huge industry. Dutch bulbs have for many generations been
famous, and many kinds will, no doubt, continue to retain their hold
upon the public owing to the undoubted advantage of the climate under
which they are grown. But experience has proved that such bulbous plants
as Tulips and Daffodils at least can be grown equally well in some parts
of the British Islands, notably in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, the
Scilly Isles, and parts of Ireland. It has been stated that over five
hundred millions of bulbs are used for decorative purposes in Great
Britain alone every year, and that the value of imported bulbs ranges
from L5,000,000 to L8,000,000 annually.
The growth of Daffodils and Narcissi alone in the Scilly Isles within
the past forty years has been nothing less than phenomenal. Mr. T. A.
Dorrien-Smith, of Tresco Abbey, has stated that the first lot of flowers
was sent to Covent Garden Market about 1865, and realised L1. It was
not, however, until about 1880 that Daffodil growing in these Islands
became at all remunerative, and some idea of their growth since then may
be gained from the fact (vouched for by the same authority) that 65 tons
of flowers were exported from the Scilly Isles in 1885, 85 tons in 1886,
100 tons in 1887, 188 tons in 1888, and 198 tons in 1889; and on one day
alone--the 25th February, 1896--30-1/2 tons of Narcissi, comprising
3,258,000 blooms in 4,849 boxes, were shipped to Penzance for market.
Cultivation on such an extensive scale, of course, means a considerable
reduction in price, and, from a commercial point of view, ordinary
Daffodil growing may be said to have reached bedrock prices a long time
ago.
However, of late years, our American cousins have taken a keen interest
in the importation of bulbs from Europe, and as gardening is a
comparatively new industry in that extensive country, we may expect that
it will afford a good market for many years to come. Not many years ago
certain kinds of Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, &c., were a drug in the
English markets, and could be had at a very low price. Since, however,
the Americans have become fond of bulb-growing, these particular kinds
have advanced considerably in price, in some cases 100 to 150 per cent.,
because it so happened they were just the sorts that were liked on the
other side of the Atlantic.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.
It is curious to note in this respect that almost every part of the
temperate and sub-tropical regions of the globe have contributed some
class of bulbous plants now to be found in cultivation. Central and
Southern Europe and Northern Africa have supplied us with various
Daffodils and Narcissi, Tulips, &c. From Asia Minor and Turkestan, the
Chionodoxas, and many bulbous Irises and Fritillarias have been
introduced. California and other parts of North America have produced
the Mariposa Lilies, all the Dog's Tooth Violets, except the common
British one, the Brodiaeas, &c., while South Africa has given us the
Gladiolus, Montbretias, and Tritonias, Crocosma, and other beautiful
plants. And the Lilies, which form a large group in themselves, are to
be found in almost every temperate clime north of the equator (see page
95).
When these facts are borne in mind, the reader will readily understand
the necessity of trying to imitate, as far as possible, in our own
climate the various natural conditions under which these plants are
found.
PLATE 2. SCILLA SIBIRICA MULTIFLORA (7) GALANTHUS NIVALIS (8) CHIONODOXA
LUCILIAE (9) HYACINTHUS AZUREUS (10)
SOMETHING ABOUT BULBS AND CORMS.
There is so much confusion of thought as to what a "bulbous" plant
really is, that it may be as well at the beginning of this volume to
endeavour to clear up the haziness that exists in regard to the matter.
It seems to be taken for granted that any plant with a swollen or
thickened stem or rootstock is a "bulbous" one. And this impression is
no doubt confirmed when one consults the bulb catalogues issued by
nurserymen. In these publications--chiefly, no doubt, for the sake of
convenience and to avoid unnecessary extra expense in printing--a large
number of plants are enumerated as if they were really bulbous. It is,
therefore, not at all unnatural that the amateur should come to the
conclusion that everything mentioned between the covers of a bulb
catalogue should be truly bulbous in nature. Even some publications on
bulbous plants have adopted the same loose nomenclature. Thus we find
such non-bulbous plants as Aconites, Anemones, Dahlias, Dicentras,
Day-Lilies, Hepaticas, Solomon's Seal, Astilbe japonica, Tropaeolums,
Lily of the Valley, Corydalis, Torch Lilies, Paeonies, Christmas Roses,
and many others described as "bulbous" plants, while some that are
really so, and worthy of cultivation, are not even mentioned.
Some of the plants referred to above have thickened stems or roots, and
will be found described in their proper places in the companion volume
to this--"BEAUTIFUL GARDEN FLOWERS." They belong to several different
families of plants. True bulbous plants, however (with which we may
include those having "corms"), are confined to very few families.
Indeed, they are restricted to one of the two large groups of flowering
plants, viz., that in which the leaves usually have parallel veins, and
the flowers have their parts in circles of three or six. This group of
plants is known to botanists as "monocotyledons," and is still further
distinguished by having only _one_ seed-leaf, as may be seen when the
seeds of any of them sprout, as shown in the Tulip, p. 35.
It is within the limits of this definition, therefore, that all the
plants described in this book come. They all have parallel-veined
leaves, and the parts of their flowers are in "threes" or "sixes," as
may be seen by consulting the coloured plates.
PLATE 3. BULBOUS IRISES I. HISTRIO, (11) I. BAKERIANA, (12). I.
KOLPAKOWSKYANA, (13) I. DANFORDIAE, (14) I. PERSICA (15)
There is an apparent contradiction to this rule in the Daffodils
(Narcissi) in which the "trumpet" or "corona" in the centre makes a
seventh organ. A similar growth may be seen in such bulbous plants as
the Eucharis, Hymenocallis, Pancratium, &c., that are usually grown
under glass. This corona is analogous to the ligules or scale-like
outgrowths so noticeable on the petals of the Campions (Lychnis), the
chief difference being that in the Narcissi the ligules are joined
together, become much larger, and often constitute the most attractive
feature of the flowers.
=Definition of a "Bulb".=--Perhaps the very best-known example of a true
bulb is the common or garden Onion. Another example is shown in the
sketch of a Hyacinth and Tigridia.
Illustration: TUNICATED BULB OF HYACINTH in section showing "Disc," and
Scale Leaves _s. l._
Illustration: TIGRIDIA BULB, Showing thick Contractile Roots.
The bulbs of Daffodils, Tulips, Snowdrops, Scillas, &c., all conform
very closely to the Onion in structure. It will be noticed that at the
base of the Hyacinth, for example, is a flattish or deltoid mass of
tissue. This is called the "disc" and is really the stem portion of the
bulb. On the upper surface it bears a number of thick scaly leaves
packed very close together, and rolled round each other, with the
flower-spike in the centre; while from the under surface, the roots
emanate when growth takes place. It may be easily imagined by the reader
that if the "disc" were drawn out lengthwise, and if a space separated
one scale-leaf from another, that the bulb would be very similar in
appearance to an ordinary leafy stem. Nature, however, has a certain
object in view in modifying the stems and leaves in such a manner that
they are tightly packed away when at rest, within a brown protecting
coat, so that they resemble the large scale-protected flower-buds that
may be seen in winter on Horse-chestnuts, Lilacs, Ash, &c. The thick
scale-leaves are really storehouses in which food has been stored up by
the larger and broader green leaves that perform the functions of
assimilation, respiration, &c., above the ground during the growing
period.
When the bulb begins to grow, the food in the thick scale-leaves is
drawn up to supply nourishment to the flower-stem, until the new green
leaves can manufacture or elaborate a fresh supply in the sunlight from
the raw materials drafted into them from the soil by the roots. Under
favourable circumstances more food is elaborated than is necessary for
the wants of the plant, and then extra growths or young bulbs called
"offsets" are developed at the base, or rather the side, of the older
bulb.
It should be mentioned here, however, that all bulbs do not vegetate in
the same way. In many cases the original bulb persists for several
seasons, as in the Daffodil and Hyacinth, for example; but in others it
vanishes completely during the period of growth, and is absorbed, or
swallowed up, as it were, by the flower stem. The most common example of
this among bulbs is the Tulip, to which more detailed reference has been
made at p. 133.
=Kinds of Bulbs.=--Most true bulbs are constructed like the Onion,
Daffodil, Snowdrop, or Hyacinth, in having the scale-leaves rolled round
each other, forming different layers or coats. Such bulbs are said to be
"tunicated." In the case of the Liliums, however, the scale-leaves only
lap over each other at the edges, and are arranged spirally round the
central axis. These bulbs are called "scaly," or "imbricated," and are
shown in the annexed sketch on p. 12.
The individual scales are much thicker at the base than at the apex, and
in the case of tunicated bulbs, they are also thicker on one side than
the other. By this arrangement, the various "coats" can be rolled round
each other more tightly, and without wasting any space.
Illustration: SCALY BULB OF LILY.
=Definition of a "Corm".=--In outward appearance, many corms are so much
like bulbs, that the two terms are interchangeable and loosely applied,
at least, among gardeners. By cutting a "corm" through the centre
lengthwise, a great difference, however, will be noticed in the
structure. In the bulb, the "disc" is small and unimportant, while the
scale-leaves upon it are the most conspicuous feature. In the "corm," on
the other hand, the "disc" is the all-important feature, and is devoid
of any thick scale-leaves upon it. The new growths appear on the top or
sides, and the lines round the circumference show where the sheathing
papery scale-leaves were attached. In the "corm" then, it is the disc,
and not the scale-leaves, that is the great storehouse of food.
PLATE 4. DAFFODILS ELLEN WILLMOTT, (17. MDME. DE GRAAFF, 18. HORSFIELDI)
=Growth of a Corm.=--The vegetation of the corm is very remarkable, and
somewhat resembles that of the Tulip. When a corm commences to grow, the
reserve material within it is used up for the benefit of the flowers and
leaves. The result of this absorbing process is that by the end of the
season the old corm has almost vanished, or is reduced to a dry
shrivelled, woody, and lifeless mass, incapable of further growth, and
attached to the base of the new corms, as shown in the annexed sketches
of Gladiolus and Crocus on page 14.
These new corms are the direct result of the work that has been done by
the green leaves in the daylight, and after a period of rest, they go
through precisely the same process the following season--vanishing
themselves, but leaving others behind to carry on the work of producing
flowers, and, if possible, seeds.
Illustration: GLADIOLUS. _o. c._ old corm; _c. r._ contractile roots;
_n. c._ new corms with "spawn" (_s_.) at base.
Illustration: CROCUS CORM. _o. c._ old corm; _n. c._ new corm with
growths.
=The importance of Green Leaves to Bulbs and Corms.=--If the reader
wishes to be successful in growing bulbous plants in his garden he must
have very great respect for the green leaves of his plants, and always
endeavour to keep them in the cleanest and healthiest possible
condition. From what has just been said about the production of new
bulbs in the Tulip, and new corms in the Crocus and Gladiolus, it is
obvious that the leaves play a most important part. Indeed, without
their aid there would be neither bulbs nor corms to carry on the work of
the plants from year to year. In the form of carbon-dioxide the leaves
eat up the carbon and oxygen from the atmosphere. Under the influence of
sunlight the gas is decomposed, so that the oxygen is given off again
into the air, while the carbon is retained for the production of starch
and other materials. These are elaborated in the cells of the leaves,
and after undergoing certain changes pass down the stems and are stored
up in the bulbs or corms beneath the surface of the soil. It is only
_green_ healthy leaves that can perform this important work
satisfactorily. When the foliage therefore begins to turn yellow and
wither, it may be taken for granted that its work for the season is
coming to a close, and the bulbs or corms are going to enjoy a
well-earned rest. It should, perhaps, be mentioned also that leaves can
only become green in day light; and although some bulbous plants like a
certain amount of shade, it would never do to exclude the light from
them altogether, or even to plant them in places where they could not
get an adequate amount of sunshine, or diffused light, during the day.
SOIL FOR BULBOUS PLANTS.
Comparatively few of the bulbous plants mentioned in this volume will
require anything better than ordinary good garden soil that has been
deeply dug, contains a certain amount of well-decomposed manure, and is
well-drained so that the water freely passes away. Such a soil will give
general satisfaction, with the least amount of trouble, especially if it
is inclined to be light rather than heavy.
To secure really first-class results, however, the soil in beds or
borders that are to be planted with bulbs should be particularly
well-prepared in advance. A heavy soil, that is, one inclined to hold
water, and of a clayey nature, will require a good deal more labour to
bring it into a proper condition than a soil that is already friable and
in a fair state of tilth. The heavy soil should be not only deeply dug
to a depth of two feet or more, taking care not to bring the lower
layers to the surface in the operation, although they should be turned
over and pulverised as much as possible where they are. Plenty of sand
or road-grit should be incorporated with a heavy soil, not only to keep
it "open," but also to increase its warmth--a matter of some importance
in our cold wet winters. The upper layer of soil, say a foot from the
surface, may be still further improved by the admixture of old
cow-manure and soot. In very bad soils, powdered quicklime may also be
added, not only to absorb superfluous moisture, but to render the soil
sweeter and more fertile. On no account, however, should fresh, rank
manure be dug into the soil just before the bulbs are planted, as the
heat and gases generated by its decomposition are often injurious to the
extremely tender tips of the young roots.
PLATE 5. (DAFFODILS 19. CYCLAMINEUS, 20. TRIANDRUS ALBUS, 21. PRINCESS
MARY OF CAMBRIDGE, 22. GLORIA MUNDI, 23. SIR WATKIN)
An ordinary good garden soil--that is, one that is regularly dug, hoed,
manured, and cropped with some class of plants--will only need to be
well dug for bulbs, and to have some well-decayed manure and soot
incorporated with it a week or two before planting. For some bulbs, such
as the Mariposa Lilies (Calochorti), some of the bulbous Irises, and a
few other kinds, it may be necessary to take particular pains with the
preparation of the soil for them. Attention has been specially called to
plants of this nature, where such has been considered necessary. It
should be remembered that when bulbous plants are attacked by fungoid
diseases, referred to at p. 145, it is very often the result of a badly
prepared soil, and not to any inherent defect in the bulbs.
HINTS TO BEGINNERS.
There is a beginning to everything, and the cultivation of bulbous
plants is no exception to the rule. It is probable in many cases that
the beginner at bulb-growing falls into precisely the same errors as the
beginner with other classes of plants. The most common error of all,
perhaps, is that he wants to grow at once every bulbous plant known. He
sees a book, like the present one for example, and admires the beautiful
pictures of bulbous plants in it. The result may be--and I hope it will
be--a keen desire to invest in the bulbs that can produce such charming
blossoms. But this keen desire should be tempered with discretion. His
garden may be only a small one, and perhaps already stocked with many
other plants. As he cannot hope to get the whole of Kew Gardens into it
at once, it would be as well to start with only a few _kinds_ of bulbs.
I do not mean of a _few bulbs_ of _many_ kinds, as he is almost sure to
be disappointed in the results. In these days of imperial thought it is
no use thinking of producing an effect in a garden with six bulbs of
either Snowdrops, Crocuses, Tulips, or Daffodils. It is as well to think
of the larger bulbs like the Lilies and choice Hyacinths in _dozens_; of
the medium sized ones like Tulips, Daffodils, Tritonias, and bedding
Hyacinths in _hundreds_; and of the smaller ones like Crocuses,
Snowdrops, Spanish Irises, Scillas, Chionodoxas, and Bluebells in
_thousands_. The dearer and choicer kinds are better left alone,
perhaps, until some advance has been made with the others.
=Buying Bulbs.=--To buy bulbous plants in dozens, hundreds, or thousands
of course means money. The beginner, however, is not advised to buy
large quantities of _all_ the kinds mentioned to begin with, as the cost
might be prohibitive, or the convenience for their proper treatment
inadequate. What is strongly recommended, however, is to start with a
large number of any one, two, or three kinds as can be afforded one
year, instead of frittering away the same amount of money over a few
bulbs each of perhaps a dozen different kinds which will fail to produce
the anticipated effect later on. It is much better, for instance, to
buy, say 100 bulbs of cottage or Mayflowering Tulips, than to invest in
100 bulbs belonging to eight different genera.
The 100 Tulips would make a fine show in the garden, because there would
probably be enough of them; whereas the other bulbs, although quite as
handsome in their own way would be lost, or at least inconspicuous,
owing to the small number of each in flower at the same time.
If only one or two kinds of bulbs can be bought in sufficient quantity
each season, with care they can be increased each year afterwards, and
need not be purchased again. This will permit of the purchase of a
sufficient number of one or two other kinds the following year, and as
these will increase and multiply in the same way, there will be quite a
large number of excellent bulbs available at the end of a few years.
Each season there is a larger and better display than the preceding one,
and that is a result very rarely attained, even after several years'
labour, and a lot of money has been spent, when the principle of having
only a _few_ bulbs of _many_ kinds is adopted.
If the effect is not produced the first season, enthusiasm is likely to
be killed, or the interest in bulb-growing may be seriously diminished.
The beginner is strongly advised to start with such easily-grown and
effective bulbs as Tulips, Daffodils, and Spanish Irises, afterwards
adding Montbretias or Tritonias, Gladiolus, Liliums, Chionodoxas,
Scillas, Snowdrops, Grape Hyacinths, Crocuses, &c., according to fancy.
Of course all these may be started with, but as stated before, each kind
should be purchased in sufficient quantity to make a bold and effective
display when in blossom.
PLATE 6. DAFFODILS (24. GRAND MONARQUE, 25. SOLEIL D'OR, 26. WEARDALE
PERFECTION, 27. LULWORTH)
=A Word of Warning.=--Beginners must not run away with the idea that the
largest bulbs give the most blossom. In many instances this is very far
from being the case--notably with the florists' Hyacinth--which is a
most deceptive bulb. Small heavy bulbs are much better than large light
ones--that is light or heavy according to their size. In Daffodils, too,
there is a good deal of variety in the shape and size of different
varieties, some being naturally smaller than others, and yet capable of
throwing fine blossoms. All healthy bulbs, no matter to what genus they
belong, should be firm and solid, and not soft and pappy to the touch. A
distinction must also be made between well-ripened "flowering bulbs,"
and those often advertised as "planting bulbs." The latter are perfectly
sound, but being merely offsets from the "flowering" bulbs, are not
likely to flower the first year after planting, although a few of the
stronger ones may do so. When one can afford to await a couple of years,
"planting" bulbs offer a cheap means of stocking a garden, as a thousand
can be purchased for a few shillings.
The other hints, necessary for a beginner, will be found in the
following pages attached to the different groups of bulbs or corms he
may wish to grow.
HOW DEEP SHOULD BULBS BE PLANTED?
This question has been agitating the minds of gardeners for some
considerable time, and has given rise to a certain amount of discussion.
Some advocate very deep planting, on the strength of having discovered
the bulbs of such plants as Snowdrops, &c., a foot or more beneath the
surface of the soil without any decrease in vigour. On the contrary, it
has been contended that the plants have shown unusual sturdiness,
notwithstanding the amount of reserve material the bulbs must have
expended before the leaves were able to reach the light. It is natural
that bulbs that are left in beds and borders for a few years without
lifting should be found at a greater depth than is generally recommended
for the planting of new bulbs. In the course of time the soil is turned
up more or less deeply, and any bulbs in it are almost sure to be buried
deeper than they were before; or frequent top dressings of soil or
manure may have been given, and thus place the bulbs still further from
the light. It is possible, however, that bulbs get buried deeply owing
to the downward pull of their own contractile roots referred to below.
Although I am not going to recommend very deep planting, there is one
great advantage in having bulbs in the open air well covered with soil,
viz., that the temperature of the soil at one, two, or three feet is
often as much as 20 degrees higher than it is immediately on the surface
during very cold and frosty weather. This is a wonderful provision of
Nature for the protection of all kinds of roots and bulbs beneath the
soil in winter.
In the following pages the average size of the bulbs or corms of
different genera is given. It will be noticed that they vary from half
an inch in diameter in some of the smaller Narcissi, to three, four, or
five inches in some of the Liliums. Between these two extremes there are
nearly all shapes and sizes, and it is not unnatural that the amateur
should be somewhat puzzled as to the depth he ought to plant any
particular bulb.
For planting bulbs in the open air, I venture to propound a safe general
rule, viz.:--_cover a bulb or corm with about twice its own depth of
soil_. Thus a bulb one inch through from top to bottom would be planted
about three inches deep, so that it would be covered with two inches of
soil. The adoption of this principle means fairly deep planting in the
case of large bulbs. There are a few exceptions, however, to this rule,
but they have been noted in the proper place.
Illustration: DIBBER.
The actual planting of bulbs in formal beds may be done with either a
garden trowel or dibber. The trowel is better for the larger bulbs like
Liliums, and may of course be used for smaller bulbs if found to be more
convenient. The dibber is useful for making holes at very regular
distances apart in the lines, and into each hole a bulb may be dropped
in, afterwards covering it over with soil.
Illustration: _Wrong_ and _Right_ way of planting Bulbs with Dibber.
A blunt dibber as shown in the sketch, will be found more useful than a
pointed one for the work, although it may not be pushed into the soil so
readily. The danger of a sharp-pointed dibber is shown in the sketch. A
fairly large bulb is liable to be hung up in the hole as its diameter is
greater than that of the dibber at a certain depth. Under these
circumstances roots would not be emitted so readily from the base, as
when the bulb is resting flat on the bottom of the hole as shown in the
sketch to the right.
PLATE 7. GARDENIA NARCISSUS (28) POET'S NARCISSUS (29) HYACINTHUS
AMETHYSTINUS (30)
THE NATURAL SINKING OF BULBS AND CORMS.
In connection with the question of planting, attention may be directed
to a very interesting and remarkable power possessed by the roots of
many bulbs and corms. A glance at the sketches of Gladiolus, Tritonia,
Nothoscordum, and Lilium, will show the reader some thick fleshy roots
with conspicuous rings on them. They are readily distinguished from the
finer fibrous roots, and, as may be readily supposed, their functions
are quite distinct. To thoroughly understand what these thick-ringed
roots are for, the reader will remember what has been said at page 13
about the way in which the old corms of Crocuses and Gladioli disappear,
or are surmounted in autumn by new ones. If the plants were not
disturbed for several years, one would imagine that as the new corms
were always produced _on top_ of the old ones, they would sooner or
later come through the surface of the soil, and thus run the risk of
being either parched by drought, or shrivelled up by the heat of the
summer sun; or, again, of being frozen to death in winter. And yet,
examination of the corms will show that the new ones are quite as deep
down in the soil, if not deeper, than their predecessors. This
remarkable state of affairs to preserve what may be called the _status
quo_ is entirely due to the action of the thick, ringed roots referred
to above. These roots usually strike straight down into the soil. When
they have gone as far as Nature intended them to, they begin to contract
much in the same way apparently as a worm does when going into its
burrow, and for this reason they have been called "contractile."
Illustration: NOTHOSCORDUM BULB. Showing Contractile Roots.
Illustration: TRITONIA CORMS.
During the process of contraction a tremendous force must be exerted to
enable the roots to pull the corms or bulbs down to their proper level
in the soil. The passive resistance of the latter is overcome, and as a
result its particles are pressed much closer together than they were
before.
Sometimes this pulling power of the roots is exerted horizontally
instead of vertically, and this accounts for the spreading of many
bulbous plants like Tulips, Grape Hyacinths, &c., over a large area in
the course of a few years when left undisturbed.
=Bulbous Plants without Contractile Roots.=--Some bulbous plants have
not the advantage of contractile roots to keep them down in the soil, so
they must secure this desirable end by different means.
Illustration: COLCHICUM. _o. c._ old corm; _n. c._ new growth; _o. r._
old roots.
Illustration: BULBOCODIUM. _o. c._ old corm; _n. c._ new growth; _o. r._
old roots.
A glance at the sketches of Colchicum and Bulbocodium will show a
peculiar method of growth. The new corm instead of being produced on top
of the old one, is developed at the side. Note, however, that the new
corm is not on the same level as the old one. That would be no advantage
whatever. Therefore it takes, as it were, a step _downwards_, so as to
be well out of reach of mowing machines, rats, and mice, and other
enemies, and also probably because it knows it will be much warmer in
winter when several inches below the surface. The same principle seems
to be employed by the bulbs of the Dog's Tooth Violets (_Erythronium_),
as may be seen from the sketch--the new bulb to the right being
distinctly lower than the older one to the left.
Illustration: ERYTHRONIUM.
PLATE 8. FRITILLARIAS (31. MOGGRIDGEI, 32. WALUJEWI, 33. MELEAGRIS ALBA,
34. RECURVA)
PROPAGATION OF BULBOUS PLANTS.
Perhaps there is no one class of plants that have so many ways of being
easily increased as bulbous plants proper. Some kinds, _e.g._, Liliums,
Alliums, may be increased in four different ways--from offsets and
"spawn," scales, bulbils, and, last of all, seeds.
=Offsets.=--The great mass of bulbous and cormous plants, however, are
so readily multiplied by detaching the offsets from the parent bulb or
corm, that the other methods are rarely employed except by trade
growers. Nearly all hardy bulbous plants produce offsets freely. These
offsets represent a superabundance of nourishment that has been
elaborated in the leaves, and very often there are several smaller ones
attached to the base of the larger ones that have been produced in
precisely the same way.
In the case of Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths, Crocuses, Gladiolus, and a
host of others, the new offsets are pressed against the sides or on top
of the older ones. In the drawing of the Tulip (p. 30), three new bulbs
are to be seen surrounding all that is left of the old bulb. This latter
has practically vanished up the main axis from the disc to produce
flowers and leaves--hence it follows that the Tulip bulb somewhat
resembles the corm in its vegetative characters. The bulbs taken out of
the soil in early summer are not those that were planted the previous
autumn.
Besides "offsets," some plants produce numerous small vegetative bodies
called "cloves" or "spawn." These are shown in the drawing of the
Gladiolus (p. 14), where two strong flowering corms have been developed
on top of the old shrivelled one. At the base of each of these are
numerous small outgrowths among the contractile roots. If these growths
or spawn are taken off and stored in sandy soil until spring, they may
then be planted in special beds, and in the course of two or three years
will reach the flowering size.
Illustration: Tulip. _d._ disc of old bulb; _f. s._ flower and
leaf-stalk which have eaten up old bulb; _n. b._ new bulb and offsets.
The Liliums are a large and interesting group of bulbous plants. Many of
them produce offsets freely round the base of the old bulb. There are
several species, however (_e.g._, _canadense_, _Grayi_, _maritimum_,
_pardalinum_, _Parryi_, _superbum_), which have creeping rootstocks or
rhizomes, and the new offsets are produced along these at intervals as
shown in the drawing.
=Division.=--Bulbs or corms are rarely cut up for purposes of
propagation. The best example in which this method of increase is
practised is the Gladiolus. The larger corms, if they show two or more
crown-growths, may be carefully cut down between them with a sharp
knife. The cut surfaces may be dipped in soot, not only to dry it more
rapidly, but also to prevent any stray spores of fungoid diseases from
germinating.
Illustration: RHIZOME (_r_) WITH OFFSETS.
=Leaf-Scales.=--The thick, fleshy, deltoid scales of many of the Liliums
will develop buds at the base, as shown in the drawing, when detached
and inserted almost vertically in sandy soil. In about three or four
years flowering bulbs can be produced by this means.
A somewhat analogous process is adopted with Hyacinths. The old bulb is
slashed across the base of the disc two or three times into the fleshy
scales. The cut surfaces dry up, and by-and-bye small buds or bulblets,
as shown on the sketch of the Lily scale, make their appearance. In due
course these bulblets are detached and planted in light sandy soil. The
propagation of the florists' varieties of Hyacinths by this means is not
altogether satisfactory, as the old bulbs themselves undergo a
deterioration in our variable climate.
Illustration: Scale leaf (_s. l._) of Lily bulb showing new growth (_n.
b._) at base.
PLATE 9. TULIPS (35-38)