Beautiful Bulbous Plants for the Open Air

Part 1

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BEAUTIFUL BULBOUS PLANTS FOR THE OPEN AIR.

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 LUCILIÆ 9 HYACINTHUS AZUREUS 10 19. ORNITHOGALUM PYRAMIDALE 74 BREVOORTIA IDA-MAIA 75 3. BULBOUS IRISES: BRODIÆA LAXA 76 I. HISTRIO 11 BRODIÆA IXIOIDES 77 I. BAKERIANA 12 I. KOLPAKOWSKYANA 13 20. GALTONIA CANDICANS 78 I. DANFORDIÆ 14 SISYRINCHIUM GRANDIFLORUM 79 I. PERSICA 15 BRODIÆA 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 BRODIÆA 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 CROCOSMIÆFLORA 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 TECOPHILÆA CYANOCROCUS 50 31. BELLADONNA LILY 111 DIERAMA PULCHERRIMA 112 13. BRODIÆA 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

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 Brodiæas 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, Brodiæas, 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 £5,000,000 to £8,000,000 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 £1. 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.