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'''''Lachenalia''''' (Werner de Lachenal, 1736-1800, professor of botany at Basel). Including Scillopsis. Liliaceae. Cape Cowslip. Small Cape bulbs that are easily flowered in a cool greenhouse in early spring or even in winter; some of them are useful also for the window-garden.

'''''Lachenalia''''' (Werner de Lachenal, 1736-1800, professor of botany at Basel). Including Scillopsis. Liliaceae. Cape Cowslip. Small Cape bulbs that are easily flowered in a cool greenhouse in early spring or even in winter; some of them are useful also for the window-garden.Plant comprised of a tunicated bulb, a leafless peduncle or scape bearing a raceme or spike of fls. in shades of red and yellow, sometimes white, and usually 2 lvs. at the base of the scape: perianth tubular, persistent, the 3 outer segms. oblong and slightly swollen near the apex, the 3 inner segms. commonly longer and obtuse-spatulate; stamens 6, attached in the perianth-tube; style long and slender, with capitate stigma: caps, loculicidally 3-valved, with turgid black seeds.—Species about 50, in S. Afr. They have a remarkable range of color, and with good management may be kept in an attractive condition for 2 months or more. There are species with bell-shaped fls. and some in which the fls. are all more or less erect, but the favorite types are the long, cylindrical, pendulous fls. with the brilliant red and yellow colors. But few species are cult., the most popular being L. tricolor, particularly its var. Nelsonii and some of the recent forms with personal names. L. pendula is perhaps second in popularity, the others being known chiefly to bulb fanciers. Lachenalias are very distinct in coloring and general appearance. They usually have 2 lvs. (sometimes 5 in. cult.), rarely 1, and the bulbs are globose, tunicated, and about 1/2-1 in. thick. An exceptionally strong bulb, under the most favorable conditions sends up 3 or 4 erect fl.-stalks 9 in. high, with as many as 40 fls., each 1-1 1/2 in. long. Under careless treatment the lvs. and fl.-stalks are weaker, and bear perhaps 6-12 fls.  Lachenalias are good subjects for hanging-baskets.It is well to make one job of it, planting freesias and lachenalias together. Six are planted in a 6-inch pot, in good rich loam. They probably do as well without leaf-soil, if the drainage is good. They are stored in a well-protected coldframe until late in November, but might be kept longer, as a pinch of frost will not hurt them. After they are brought into the greenhouse, and make good growth, plenty of water may be given, and, occasionally, liquid manure. A night temperature of 50° F. will be found about right, but they scarcely bear forcing until the flowering scapes show. If forced before the bulbs show, the flowers are often malformed. They last in bloom from six to eight weeks, after which follows the same routine.—After blooming, the plants should be set on a shelf in a light position and watered as carefully as before the blooming season, less water being given as signs of maturity appear; viz., discolored leaves and withered flower-stems. When thoroughly ripened, they are stored in the pots they have grown in and kept quite dry until the month of August. They must be repotted then. If by chance drip should strike the soil, the plants may be found starting into growth. The bulbs multiply rapidly, more than doubling in a season. Fully one-third of the extra bulbs will be serviceable, and still more would make bloom of less decorative value. There are many more—bulblets —which can be sown on the borders of carnation or violet benches, a large number making good-sized bulbs in one season. Seeds of luchenalias germinate readily in a few weeks, and with good treatment many seedlings will bloom before going to rest. In the opinion of the writer, L. Nelsonii, is still the most satisfactory kind to grow. (T. D. Hatfield.)

 

Plant comprised of a tunicated bulb, a leafless peduncle or scape bearing a raceme or spike of fls. in shades of red and yellow, sometimes white, and usually 2 lvs. at the base of the scape: perianth tubular, persistent, the 3 outer segms. oblong and slightly swollen near the apex, the 3 inner segms. commonly longer and obtuse-spatulate; stamens 6, attached in the perianth-tube; style long and slender, with capitate stigma: caps, loculicidally 3-valved, with turgid black seeds.—Species about 50, in S. Afr. They have a remarkable range of color, and with good management may be kept in an attractive condition for 2 months or more. There are species with bell-shaped fls. and some in which the fls. are all more or less erect, but the favorite types are the long, cylindrical, pendulous fls. with the brilliant red and yellow colors. But few species are cult., the most popular being L. tricolor, particularly its var. Nelsonii and some of the recent forms with personal names. L. pendula is perhaps second in popularity, the others being known chiefly to bulb fanciers. Lachenalias are very distinct in coloring and general appearance. They usually have 2 lvs. (sometimes 5 in. cult.), rarely 1, and the bulbs are globose, tunicated, and about 1/2-1 in. thick. An exceptionally strong bulb, under the most favorable conditions sends up 3 or 4 erect fl.-stalks 9 in. high, with as many as 40 fls., each 1-1 1/2 in. long. Under careless treatment the lvs. and fl.-stalks are weaker, and bear perhaps 6-12 fls.  Lachenalias are good subjects for hanging-baskets.It is well to make one job of it, planting freesias and lachenalias together. Six are planted in a 6-inch pot, in good rich loam. They probably do as well without leaf-soil, if the drainage is good. They are stored in a well-protected coldframe until late in November, but might be kept longer, as a pinch of frost will not hurt them. After they are brought into the greenhouse, and make good growth, plenty of water may be given, and, occasionally, liquid manure. A night temperature of 50° F. will be found about right, but they scarcely bear forcing until the flowering scapes show. If forced before the bulbs show, the flowers are often malformed. They last in bloom from six to eight weeks, after which follows the same routine.—After blooming, the plants should be set on a shelf in a light position and watered as carefully as before the blooming season, less water being given as signs of maturity appear; viz., discolored leaves and withered flower-stems. When thoroughly ripened, they are stored in the pots they have grown in and kept quite dry until the month of August. They must be repotted then. If by chance drip should strike the soil, the plants may be found starting into growth. The bulbs multiply rapidly, more than doubling in a season. Fully one-third of the extra bulbs will be serviceable, and still more would make bloom of less decorative value. There are many more—bulblets —which can be sown on the borders of carnation or violet benches, a large number making good-sized bulbs in one season. Seeds of luchenalias germinate readily in a few weeks, and with good treatment many seedlings will bloom before going to rest. In the opinion of the writer, L. Nelsonii, is still the most satisfactory kind to grow. (T. D. Hatfield.)

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