Bulbs have not as yet received that degree of attention in this country
(India) that they deserve, and they may be considered to form a separate
class, requiring a mode of culture differing from that of others. Their
slow progress has discouraged many and a supposition that they will only
thrive in the Upper Provinces, has deterred others from attempting to
grow them, an idea which has also been somewhat fostered by the
Horticultural Society, when they received a supply from England, having
sent the larger portion of them to their subscribers in the North West
Provinces.
The NARCISSUS will thrive with care, in all parts of India, and it is a
matter of surprise that it is not more frequently met with. A good
Narcissus should have the six petals well formed, regularly and evenly
disposed, with a cup of good form, the colors distinct and clear, raised
on strong erect stems, and flowering together.
The _Polyanthes Narcissus_, N. tazetta, _Narjus, hur'huft nusreen_, is
of two classes, white and sulphur colored, but these have sported into
almost endless varieties, especially amongst the Dutch, with whom this
and most other bulbs are great favorites. It flowers in February and
March.
The _Poet's Narcissus_, N. poeticus, _Moozhan, zureenkuda_ is the
favorite, alike for its fragrance and its delicate and graceful
appearance, the petals being white and the cup a deep yellow: it flowers
from the beginning of January to the end of March and thrives well. The
first within the recollection of the author, in Bengal, was at Patna,
nearly twelve years since, in possession of a lady there under whose
care it blossomed freely in the shade, in the month of February.
The _Daffodil_, N. pseudo-narcissus, _Khumsee buroonk_, is of pale
yellow, and some of the double varieties are very handsome.
_Propagation_ is by offsets, pulled off after the bulbs are taken out of
the ground, and sufficiently hardened.
_Soil, &c._--The best is a fresh, light loam with some well rotted cow
dung for the root fibres to strike into, and the bottom of the pot to
the height of one-third filled with pebbles or broken brick. They will
not blossom until the fifth year, and to secure strong flowers the bulbs
should only be taken up every third year. An eastern aspect where they
get only the morning sun, is to be preferred. The PANCRATIUM is a
handsome species that thrives well, some varieties being indigenous, and
others fully acclimated, generally flowering about May or June.
The _One-flowered Pancratium_, P. zeylanicum, is rather later than the
rest in flowering and bears a curiously formed white flower.
The _Two-flowered Pancratium_, P. triflorum, _Sada kunool_, was so named
by Roxburg, and gives a white flower in groups of threes, as its name
implies.
The _Oval leaved pancratium_, P. ovatum, although of West Indian origin,
is so thoroughly acclimated as to be quite common in the Indian Garden.
_Propagation_.--The best method is by suckers or offsets which are
thrown out very freely by all the varieties.
_Soil, &c._--Any common garden soil will suit this plant, but they
thrive best with a good admixture of rich vegetable mould.
The HYACINTH, Hyacinthus, is an elegant flower, especially the double
kind. The first bloomed in Calcutta was exhibited at the flower show
some three years since, but proved an imperfect blossom and not clear
colored; a very handsome one, however, was shown by Mrs. Macleod in
February 1847, and was raised from a stock originally obtained at
Simlah. The Dutch florists have nearly two thousand varieties.
The distinguishing marks of a good hyacinth are clear bright colors,
free from clouding or sporting, broad bold petals, full, large and
perfectly doubled, sufficiently revolute to give the whole mass a degree
of convexity: the stem strong and erect and the foot stalks horizontal
at the base, gradually taking an angle upwards as they approach the
crown, so as to place the flowers in a pyramidical form, occupying about
one-half the length of the stem.
The _Amethyst colored Hyacinth_, H. amethystimus, is a fine handsome
flower, varying in shade from pale blue to purple, and having bell
shaped flowers, but the foot stalks are generally not strong and they
are apt to become pendulous.
The _Garden Hyacinth_, H. orientalis, _Sumbul, abrood_, is the handsomer
variety, the flowers being trumpet shaped, very double and of varying
colors--pink, red, blue, white, or yellow, and originally of eastern
growth. It flowers in February and has considerable fragrance.
_Propagation_.--In Europe this is sometimes performed by seed, but as
this requires to be put into the ground as soon as possible after
ripening, and moreover takes a long time to germinate, this method would
hardly answer in this country, which must therefore, at least for the
present, depend upon imported bulbs and offsets.
_Soil, &c._--This, as well as its after culture, is the same as for the
Narcissus. They will not show flowers until the second year, and not in
good bloom before the fifth or sixth of their planting out.
The CROCUS, Crocus lutens, having no native name, has yet, it is
believed, been hardly ever known to flower here, even with the utmost
care. A good crocus has its colors clear, brilliant, and distinctly
marked.
_Propagation_--must be effected, for new varieties, by seeds, but the
species are multiplied by offsets of the bulb.
_Soil, &c._ Any fair garden soil is good for the crocus, but it prefers
that which is somewhat sandy.
_Culture_. The small bulbs should be planted in clumps at the depth of
two inches; the leaves should not be cut off after the plant has done
blossoming, as the nourishment for the future season's flower is
gathered by them.
The IXIA, is originally from the Cape, and belongs to the class of
Iridae: the Ixia Chinensis, more properly Morea Chinensis, is a native
of India and China, and common in most gardens.
_Propagation_--is by offsets.
_Soil, &c._ The best is of peat and sand, it thrives however in good
garden soil, if not too stiff, and requires no particular cultivation.
The LILY, Lilium, _Soosun_, the latter derived from the Hebrew, is a
handsome species that deserves more care than it has yet received in
India, where some of the varieties are indigenous.
The _Japan Lily_, L. japonicum, is a very tall growing plant, reaching
about 5 feet in height with broad handsome flowers of pure white, and a
small streak of blue, in the rains.
The _Daunan Lily_, L. dauricum, _Rufeef, soosun_, gives an erect, light
orange flower in the rains.
The _Canadian lily_, L. Canadense _B'uhmutan_, flowers in the rains in
pairs of drooping reflexed blossoms of a rather darker orange, sometimes
spotted with a deeper shade.
_Propagation_--is effected by offsets, which however will not flower
until the third or fourth year.
_Soil, &c._ This is the same as for the Narcissus, but they do not
require taking up more frequently than once in three years, and that
only for about a month at the close of the rains, the Japan lily will
thrive even under the shade of trees.
The AMARYLLIS is a very handsome flower, which has been found to thrive
well in this country, and has a great variety, all of which possess much
beauty, some kinds are very hardy, and will grow freely in the open
ground.
The _Mexican Lily_, A. regina Mexicanae, is a common hardy variety found
in most gardens, yielding an orange red flower in the months of March
and April, and will thrive even under the shades of trees.
The _Ceylonese Amaryllis_, A: zeylanica, _Suk'h dursun_, gives a pretty
flower about the same period.
The _Jacoboean Lily_, A, formosissima, has a handsome dark red flower of
singular form, having three petals well expanded above, and three others
downwards rolled over the fructile organs on the base, so as to give the
idea of its being the model whence the Bourbon _fleur de lis_ was taken,
the stem is shorter than the two previous kinds, blossoming in April or
May.
The _Noble Amaryllis_, A: insignia, is a tall variety, having pink
flowers in March or April.
The _Broad-leaved Amaryllis_, A: latifolia, is a native of India with
pinkish white flowers about the same period of the year.
The _Belladonna Lily_. A: belladonna is of moderately high stem,
supporting a pink flower of the same singular form as the Jacoboean
lily, in May and June.
_Propagation_--is by offsets of the bulb, which most kinds throw out
very freely, sometimes to the extent of ten, or a dozen in the season.
_Soil, &c._--For the choice kinds is the same as is required for the
narcissus, and water should on no account be given over the leaves or
upper part of the bulb.
The common kinds look well in masses, and a good form of planting them
is in a series of raised circles, so as for the whole to form a round
bed.
The DOG'S TOOTH VIOLET, Erythronium, is a pretty flowering bulb and a
great favorite with florists in Europe.
The _Common Dog's tooth Violet_, E. dens canis, is ordinarily found of
reddish purple, there is also a white variety, but it is rare, neither
of them grow above three or four inches in height, and flower in March
or April.
The _Indian Dog's tooth Violet_, E. indicum, _junglee kanda_, is found
in the hills, and flowers at about the same time, with a pink blossom.
The SUPERB GLORIOSA, Gloriosa superba, _Kareearee, eeskooee langula_, is
a very beautiful species of climbing bulb, a native of this country, and
on that account neglected, although highly esteemed as a stove plant in
England; the leaves bear tendrils at the points, and the flower, which
is pendulous, when first expanded, throws its petals nearly erect of
yellowish green, which gradually changes to yellow at the base and
bright scarlet at the point; the pistil which shoots from the seed
vessel horizontally possesses the singular property of making an entire
circuit between sun-rise and sun-set each day that the flower continues,
which is generally for some time, receiving impregnation from every
author as it visits them in succession. It blooms in the latter part of
the rains.
_Propagation_ is in India sometimes from seed, but in Europe it is
confined to division of the offsets.
_Soil, &c._--Most garden soils will suit this plant, but it affords the
handsomest, and richest colored flowers in fresh loam mixed with peat or
leaf mould, without dung. It should not have too much water when first
commencing its growth, and it requires the support of a trellis over
which it will bear training to a considerable extent, growing to the
height of from five to six feet.
MANY OTHER BULBS, there is no doubt, might be successfully grown in
India where every thing is favorable to their growth, and so much
facility presents itself for procuring them from the Cape of Good Hope;
the natural _habitat_ of so many varieties of the handsomest species,
nearly all of them flowering between the end of the cold weather and the
close of the rains.
Some of these being hardy, thrive in the open ground with but little
care or trouble, others requiring very great attention, protection from
exposure, and shelter from the heat of the sun, and the intensity of its
rays; which should therefore have a particular portion of the plant-shed
assigned to them, such being inhabitants of the green house in colder
climates, and the reason of assigning them such separated part of the
chief house, or what is better perhaps, a small house to themselves, is
that in culture, treatment, and other respects they do not associate
with plants of a different character.
One great obstacle which the more extensive culture of bulbs has had to
contend against, may be found in that impatience that refuses to give
attention to what requires from three to five years to perfect,
generally speaking people in India prefer therefore to cultivate such
plants only as afford an immediate result, especially with relation to
the ornamental classes.
_Propagation_.--The bulb after the formation of the first floral core is
instigated by nature to continue its species, as immediately the flower
fades the portion of bulb that gave it birth dies, for which purpose it
each year forms embryo bulbs on each side of the blossoming one, and
which although continued in the same external coat, are each perfect and
complete plants in themselves, rising from the crown of the root fibres:
in some kinds this is more distinctly exhibited by being as it were,
altogether outside and distinct from, the main, or original bulb. These
being separated for what are called offsets, and should be taken off
only when the parent bulb has been taken up and hardened, or the young
plant will suffer.
Some species of bulbous rooted plants produce seeds, but this method of
reproduction, can seldom be resorted to in this country, and certainly
not to obtain new kinds, as the seeds require to be sown as soon as
ripe.
_Soil, Culture, &c_.--For the delicate and rare bulbs, it is advisable
to have pots purposely made of some fifteen inches in height with a
diameter of about seven or eight inches at the top, tapering down to
five, with a hole at the bottom as in ordinary flower pots, and for this
to stand in, another pot should be made without any hole, of a height of
about four inches, sufficient size to leave the space of about an inch
all round between the outer side of the plant pot and the inner side of
the smaller pot or saucer.
This will allow the plant pot to be filled with crocks, pebbles, or
stone chippings to the height of five inches, or about an inch higher
than the level of the water in the saucer, above which may be placed
eight inches in depth of soil and one inch on the top of that, pebbles
or small broken brick. By this arrangement, the saucer being kept
filled, or partly filled, as the plant may require, with water, the
fibres of the root obtain a sufficiency of moisture for the maintenance
and advancement of the plant without chance of injury to the bulb or
stem, by applying water to the upper earth which is also in this
prevented from becoming too much saturated. Light rich sandy loam, with
a portion of sufficiently decomposed leaf mould, is the best soil for
the early stages of growing bulbs.
So soon as the leaves change color and wither, then all moisture must be
withheld, but as the repose obtained by this means is not sufficient to
secure health to the plant, and ensure its giving strong blossoms,
something more is required to effect this purpose. This being rendered
the more necessary because in those that form offsets by the sides of
the old bulbs, they would otherwise become crowded and degenerate, the
same occurring also with those forming under the old ones, which will
get down so deep that they cease to appear.
The time to take up the bulb is when the flower-stem and leaves have
commenced decay; taking dry weather for the purpose, if the bulbs are
hardy, or if in pots having reduced the moisture as above shown, but it
must be left to individual experience to discover how long the different
varieties should remain out of the ground, some requiring one month's
rest, and others enduring three or four, with advantage; more than that
is likely to be injurious. When out of the ground, during the first part
of the period they are so kept, it should be, say for a fortnight at
least, in any room where no glare exists, with free circulation of air,
after which the off-sets may be removed, and the whole exposed to dry on
a table in the verandah, or any other place that is open to the air, but
protected from the sunshine, which would destroy them.
Little peculiarity of after treatment is requisite, except perhaps that
the bulbs which are to flower in the season should have a rather larger
proportion of leaf mould in the compost, and that if handsome flowers
are required, it will be well to examine the bulb every week at least by
gently taking the mould from around them, and removing all off-sets that
appear on the old bulb. For the securing strength to the plant also, it
will be well to pinch off the flower so soon as it shews symptoms of
decay.
The wire worm is a great enemy to bulbs, and whenever it appears they
should be taken up, cleaned, and re-planted. It is hardly necessary to
say that all other vermin and insects must be watched, and immediately
removed.
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