THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 273 



in these I am pleased to record the fact that I have seen such things 

 as I have just named admirably managed — a credit to the fair culti- 

 vator, and an unfailing source of plea3ure to all beholders. Bub as it 

 is impossible for me to fix upon any one subject that would suit both 

 the taste and convenience of the reader, I will just remark timt 

 "whatever description of vessel is used, it should be light and porta- 

 ble, that, when necessary, it may be removed from one position to 

 another without fatigue or injury. If the tin trays above alluded 

 to are used, fill them to within half-an-inch of the top with soil or 

 sand (the former would be preferable), and when the bulbs are 

 planted, cover over the whole a layer of green moss for a proper 

 arrangement in planting. I must leave each individual taste to 

 decide, but, were I about to furnish one of these, I should plant a 

 centre of single Van Thol Tulips, scarlet and yellow, and then a ring 

 of Furple Crocuses, and an edging of Single Snowdrops. If puts 

 are used, the six-inch ones will be large enough. Of tulips, in 

 each of these, place five bulbs, of crocuses seven, and of snowdrops 

 twelve. As soon as any of the above are planted, give them a gentle 

 soaking of water, and place them at once in a warm, shady place out 

 of doors, and protect from heavy rains. From observations which I 

 have made, I have found that the principal cause of failure iu 

 securing the above flowers at Christmas is that people do not begin 

 soon enough ; they leave it alone to within a few weeks of the time, 

 and then complain if they do not succeed ; and, what is often the 

 case, blame those who have done their best to instruct them, because 

 their own apathy must not be thought of or questioned. 



Those who really desire these bulbs in flower at Christmas must 

 give their orders at once to their seedsman, and as soon as they 

 come to hand they should be planted ; for, if planted later than the 

 18th of September, the new year will be here before they show a 

 flower. The Helleborus niger, or Christmas Rose, is another fine 

 subject which can safely be depended upon if taken up in Novem- 

 ber and potted, and placed in a south window. And it is very 

 interesting to watch the changing of each individual flower from 

 white to pink, and then almost to a green. Nice plants of these 

 can be purchased for a shilling. They like a rather peaty soil. 

 Then, again, there is the Frimida sineyisis, both pink and white ; 

 they are not expensive, and, when liberally treated, with a warui 

 and moderately airy position in the greenhouse, will continue to 

 flower through the dullest months of winter. To these I might add 

 some of the border varieties of the common Primrose, for, if taken 

 up and potted at the end of November, in light soil and well-drained 

 pots, a south window might be made quite gay. If a few of the 

 common wild Frimroses are treated the same way, and intermixed 

 with them, the result will be quite a new pleasure. I happen to 

 know a rural village in the country where this kind of window gar- 

 dening is vigorously followed up every year, and attended with very 

 pleasing results ; and although it is only a village post-office, yet 

 through all the earlier months of the year this window is always 

 gay, many of our wayside flowers adding a peculiar charm to it. 

 To this list I may add the Winter Aconite^ which is of very easy 



TOL. III. — NO. IX. 18 



