NOVEMBER

Cyclamen.--Where there is a large demand for this flower, another

sowing may be made this month, unless it was done in October. With so

important a subject it is not wise to depend on a single venture. The

seedlings will afford a valuable succession to those started in August.



Gladiolus.--The soil which answers best for the autumn-flowering

section is a medium friable loam, with a cool rich subsoil. A light loam

can be made suitable by trenching, and putting a thick layer of

cow-manure at the bottom of each trench. And a heavy soil may be reduced

to the proper condition by the free admixture of light loam or sand.

Autumn is the proper time for doing this work, and the ground should be

left rough, so that it may benefit by winter frosts. Wireworms are

deadly enemies to the Gladiolus corms, and an effort should be made to

clear them out. Happily, they will flock to traps such as Potatoes and

Rape cake, and their destruction is a mere question of daily attention.

Planting must, of course, be deferred until spring.



Hyacinthus candicans is generally grown in the company of other

flowers which attain to something like its own imposing proportions. In

good soil the spikes grow three feet high. It may be planted from this

time until March.



Lilies are an ornament to the cottage garden, and they grace the

grandest conservatory. Many of the most superb varieties, including the

king of all the race, L. auratum, can be magnificently flowered in the

open border; and we have seen fine specimens of the Lancifolium

varieties grown in pots without the aid of pit or frame. It is therefore

obvious that there are no difficulties in the culture of Lilies. In

borders the best soil for them is a deep, rich, moist loam. Peat and

leaf-mould also answer; but a stiff clay will not do unless it has been

cultivated and mixed with lighter stuff. Plant the roots at least six

inches deep, at any time they are in a dormant state, or can be obtained

in pots. Their position in the border should be clearly marked, or the

roots may sustain injury when the soil is forked over.



The noble appearance of L. auratum will always command for it a

prominent place in the conservatory or greenhouse. It will grow in sandy

peat, or in a mixture of loam, leaf-mould, and sand. The bulb should be

put into a small pot at first. When this is full of roots, transfer to a

larger size, and shift occasionally until the flower-buds appear, when

re-potting must cease. A cool house will bring the plant to perfection,

although it will bear a high temperature if wanted early. During growth

water must be given freely and be gradually reduced when the flowering

season is over.



The Lancifolium varieties require the same treatment, but it is usual

to put several in one large pot. After the flowering is ended, instead

of allowing the bulbs to become quite dry, keep them moist enough to

prevent the fibrous roots from perishing, and they will start with all

the greater vigour when the time arrives for repotting next season.



Lily of the Valley.--The forcing of this favourite flower generally

begins in November, and it is important to secure roots which are

thoroughly matured for the purpose. They must be finished in a high

temperature, and if managed with judgment there will be plenty of

foliage to set off the long spikes of charming white bells. When planted

in the open ground a shaded spot should be chosen, which must be freely

enriched with leaf-mould, and the plants will not need to be lifted for

four or five years.



Ranunculus.--On a light dry soil, where there is no danger of the

roots sustaining injury during winter, this is a suitable time for

planting all the varieties. To do them justice the land must be

liberally dressed with decayed manure, and the longer the bed can be

made ready before planting, the better will it answer. Put the roots in

drills drawn six inches apart and two inches deep and cover with fine

soil. For retentive land it is advisable to defer planting until

February.



Tritonia.--Perhaps the best way of treating this flower is to pot the

bulbs now or in December, and keep them in frames until April, when they

may be transferred to the open ground. A dry soil and a sunny spot

should be found for them.



Tulip.--There is no better time for planting Tulips in beds than the

first half of this month. The bulbs should be covered with four or five

inches of soil according to size, and it is important that each kind

should be put in at a uniform depth to insure a simultaneous display. On

a heavy soil draw deep drills, and partially fill them with light

compost, on which the roots should be planted. The late single varieties

are the Tulips which were formerly so highly prized by florists. For

these bulbs it was the custom to prepare the soil with extraordinary

care when the Tulip craze was at its height. After the amazing folly of

paying 300l. for a single bulb, the minor folly of extravagance in

preparing the soil may be readily pardoned. Happily that phase of the

business has passed away, and handsome Tulips are now grown without such

a prodigal expenditure of money and labour. The site for this flower

should be sunny, the soil fairly rich, and the drainage good. With these

conditions insured, and roots which are sound and dense, it is easy to

obtain a magnificent show of Tulips.



Zephyranthes Candida can be grown in any soil, and if possible the

bulbs should be planted in some spot where they may remain unmolested

through several seasons. The flowers appear about the end of July,

resembling a White Crocus in form, and the blooming continues until cold

weather sets in. Planting may be done between November and March.