304 THE FLORIST. 



frame, with some stable manure, or tan, to furnish a gentle heat, it 

 may be had in flower at Christmas ; and with a good stock of bulbs, 

 the display may be kept up till April or May. For early flowering, 

 the bulbs should be planted early in September ; those to flower in 

 spring should be planted during the months of October, November, and 

 December. The best pots are 5 -inch (forty-eights) for one bulb, 

 and 6 or 7-inch (thirty-twos or twenty-fours) for three bulbs. It 

 may be well to add, that three roots grown together in one pot produce 

 a much finer effect than single bulbs. If smaller pots than the above 

 be used, greater care will be necessary in watering. The soil used for 

 potting should be as rich as possible ; such as one half fresh loam, cut 

 from a pasture, with the turf decayed in it, and well decomposed cow 

 or horse manure, with a small portion of clean sand, well intermixed. 

 If, however, this cannot be obtained, then the lightest and richest at 

 command must be employed instead, mixing freely with it well-decayed 

 cow dung. Fill the pots lightly with the prepared compost, and place 

 the bulb upon the surface, slightly pressing it into the soil. After 

 giving the newly-planted bulbs a liberal watering, set the pots out of 

 doors on a place where perfect drainage is secured, and cover them with 

 about a foot of old tan, ashes, saw-dust, leaf-soil, or any other light 

 material. After remaining there for a month or five weeks, the bulbs 

 will be sufficiently rooted to render it safe to remove them to a gentle 

 bottom heat of about 55°, introducing the pots, in numbers propor- 

 tionate to the demand, at intervals of about a fortnight ; a succession 

 of flowers will then be secured, until those in the open air come into 

 bloom. We would caution the amateur, when forcing the Hyacinth, 

 to be careful that the roots are not allowed to penetrate the fermented 

 material. Persons possessing no better accommodation than a room 

 window, will, with ordinary management, be able to grow and flower 

 the Hyacinth as well, if not to have it in bloom as early, as those who 

 can command a gentle heat. We need hardly observe, that plants 

 growing during the dark days of winter, should be placed near the 

 glass, and be freely supplied with air, when this can be given with 

 safety ; and those grown in windows will draw towards the light, unless 

 the pots are frequently turned. A sitting-room window forms a suit- 

 able situation for Hyacinths while in bloom, and their beauty will be 

 longer in fading here than in most situations : in no instance should 

 they be removed from a close atmosphere, and suddenly exposed in a 

 sitting-room window, until they have been previously hardened in a 

 suitable temperature to withstand cold drying currents. We warn the 

 inexperienced to guard against this common error, and to avoid sub- 

 jecting the plants to sudden changes at any period of their growth. 



Culture of the Hyacinth in the Floioer Border or Bed. — Much has 

 been written respecting the culture of this lovely plant, the greater 

 portion of which has, unfortunately, been calculated to deter persons 

 dependent upon such sources of information, from attempting its 

 growth. It is usual with writers on the culture of the Hyacinth, to 

 state, that to grow it successfully, a very rich soil is absolutely neces- 

 sary ; but we know, from experience, that any well-drained garden 

 soil is easily rendered suitable for the growth of the Hyacinth. If the 



