Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/111

Rh centre. S. elegans is white and blue, and more scarce than S. cuprea. These may be grown in the same way as Ixias, in a warm, sheltered border, or in pots. When grown in the greenhouse, they flower in April or May; but in the border they do not flower till June.

is a grand section of Irids, and some of the species much resemble Ixias. The same treatment as Ixias will suit them. T. aurea is the only one which it is quite safe to grow out of doors, and that must have some protection in winter. November is the proper time to pot them, in a mixture of loam, leaf-mould, and peat, with plenty of bright sand. Keep them rather dry till they begin to grow. T. aurea makes a fine bush-like plant if grown in a large pot. Five bulbs may be put in a pot seven inches across, and the plants will grow two feet high, and bloom superbly. The colour of the flowers is reddish-orange. The best of all for the greenhouse shelf is T. crocata, which can be grown five bulbs in a 6-inch pot; and most important is it that the bulbs are not disturbed or repotted more often than every four or five years, for when repotted often they do not flower well. The plants should not be tied to sticks, but be allowed to fall about in their own way; they are then very pretty with garlands of scarlet-orange flowers. T. rosea is a beautiful rosy flower. The best way for the amateur who loves fine flowers is to grow all the Tritonias and Ixias obtainable. He will not easily obtain too many sorts, for each will have a charm to afford him fresh delight.

.&mdash;Treat as directed for hyacinths, but put three bulbs in a 48-size pot. The early tulips are the most useful for greenhouse culture, and the safest way to ensure a flue display is to have two sets of bulbs, so as to be enabled to plant them out alternately in October, one season’s growth in the open ground in rich soil being sufficient to restore their energies for growing in pots again the following season. They increase freely by offsets, and considering their high quality, and that one purchase of roots is sufficient for a lifetime, they are the cheapest of all the early flowering bulbs in cultivation.

.&mdash;The Neapolitan and Russian violets are well known, yet they are not grown so extensively in small gardens