THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 85 



Do not bury the crowns above half an inch, as they ■will not ripen 

 •well if buried deeply. The best time to plant is October or 

 November, but they may be planted any time from October to 

 March. After they begin to grow in the spring, keep the surface 

 well hoed and open all summer; and before the hot weather sets in, 

 lay an inch of long dung between the rows and plants, so as to keep 

 the soil from getting too dry. When the hot weather sets in, water 

 well twice a week in case the weather is dry, taking care to saturate 

 the border a foot or two deep, to persuade the roots to go down after 

 the dung ; but if you only sprinkle the top over, the roots will come 

 up to the surface, and the heat of the sun will kill them, so that 

 when you want to take up your patches in the autumn, they will 

 have but poor weak crowns instead of good strong ones. When the 

 leaves die down, they may be taken up and potted in as small-sized 

 pots as the patclies can be got into. IJse light, rich, sandy soil, well 

 drained, and plunge the pots in coal-ashes or sand out of doors until 

 wanted to start. They may be started at 50" in October, and 

 gradually raised to 70'' to get them into bloom in December. In 

 February or March they can be got into flower in three weeks by 

 placing them in a temperature of 65° to 70'. 



A few of the leading nurserymen (Veitch of Chelsea, and Low of 

 Clapton) have imported them from Holland for the last few years, 

 from their bulb growers, all ready for forcing, in very fine condition, 

 and the quantity imported increases very largely every year. It 

 strikes me that they may be grown as well in England as on the 

 Continent, if they are well cared for. They want a year's rest after 

 forcing, and they are all the better to stand a couple of years before 

 you pot them, for they gain strength, and can be got in flower 

 earlier. It is bad policy to grow them in pots a season before 

 forcing them, as you derive no benefit from it. If you have not 

 got good crowns to start with in the autumn, you must not expect 

 any flow^er. They do not stir at the roots until after the flowers are 

 thrown up. The flowers should show up the first, and then the 

 leaves follow ; it is rather difficult to induce them to throw any 

 leaves in the autumn at all. You may get from twelve to forty-five 

 spikes on a good patch of plants in a 32-sized pot, with from eleven 

 to thirteen bells on a spike. The leaves and spikes may be set out 

 at equal distances when in flower with a bit of moss of any kind ; if 

 green, all the better. William Howaed, 



Bedford Hill Ho2ise, Balham, S. Gardener to James Brand, Esq. 



To Make Peppermikt Water. — As distilled cordial waters are now somewhat 

 difficult to procure, a strong and useful water may be made by dissolving twelve 

 or fifteen drops of essential oil of peppei-mint in six drachms of spirits of wine, pour- 

 ing it into a quart bottle full of cold water, and then letting it stand coiked, and 

 occasionally shaken, for a few days. Should any particles of oil appear floating on 

 the top, the water should he filtered through a conical fold of white blotting-paper, 

 a teaspoonful of magnesia being first put into the filter, then place the filtered water 

 in a clean bottle and keep well corked. Dose, a wineglassful. 



