Part 1

Produced by Chris Curnow, Hazel Batey, Lindy Walsh and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

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