THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 267 



striking a few cuttings occasionally, so as to have small plants to 

 take place of those that become too large ; any light soil will suit it, 

 and almost hardy. Sempervivum arboreum ; the purple-leaved 

 variety makes a most elegant and characteristic plant ; keep in as 

 small a pot as possible, soil good but gritty, plenty of light, and very 

 dry all winter ; this is nearly hardy, but the white-leaved variety is 

 very tender. Tropasolum tuberosum ; keep in dry sand all winter, 

 pot in April, and placed in a warm position with very little water till 

 growing freely ; train as you please ; soil light and rich, plenty of 

 sunshine. Yallota purpurea, may be kept in frame all winter ; oughb 

 to be always growing ; repot after flowering in half loam and half 

 peat ; give abundance of water when growing freely, not much all 

 winter. In spring a few Begonias could be bouglit for a trifle, and 

 would make a variety. A few of the free-flowering Mesembryanthe- 

 mums are admirably adapted for small houses, and there are many 

 nearly hardy variegated plants available. And how strange it is that 

 proprietors of small houses will not grow succulents, such as Eochea 

 falcata and the showiest of the cactuses. W. 



HYACINTHS. 



BY JOHN" WALSH. 



OR the next month or six weeks we shall be inundated 

 with catalogues of hyacinths and other Dutch bulbs. 

 Therefore, a few words about cultural matters, and a 

 selection of a few distinct varieties, will not be altogether 

 out of place at this season. I will be as brief as 

 possible, but so many of our readers indulge themselves^ with a 

 collection of these bulbs, and no conservatory can be kept in first- 

 rate order through the early part of spring without a few, it will 

 not be advisable to skip the subject for the sake of brevity. To 

 make this »paper as useful as possible, I will first say a few words 

 about 



Buying the Bulbs. — And I feel bound to say, that more impor- 

 tance ought to be attached to this part of the subject than is usually 

 the case. It is hardly worth while for me to say, that unless the 

 cultivator has solid, thoroughly matured bulbs to deal with, no 

 amount of skill will induce them to produce first-rate spikes of flowers : 

 everybody knows that. I have not a word to say against any one 

 having a floral display at a cheap rate by means of buying the cheap 

 selections /at so much per hundred ; but what I would say is this, 

 It is useless to expect spikes from these equal in size to those for 

 which a good price for the bulb was paid. I know several gentlemen 

 who buy them in this way, and then blame their gardener for the 

 inferiority of the bloom. Others go to paltry places, pay full price, 

 and then get inferior articles. Here the poor gardener steps in for 

 it again. This class of dealer is not above putting all failures down 

 to the gardener's ignorance of their proper management. This is 

 not written for the instruction of those who employ gardeners, so 



