THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 261 



frequented gravel road answers admirably to incorporate witli the 

 mixture, to render it porous. To secure abundant root-room use 

 only one crock over the hole iu the pot ; then fill in and press 

 moderately firm ; then press the bulb down in the centre till it is 

 more than half buried ; then fill in round it with fat dung aloue. 

 If the soil is in a moderately moist condition, the potting may be 

 performed with great rapidity, and tlie bulbs will hold well in their 

 places. But if too wet or too dry when the potting takes place, 

 they will be apt to tilt on one side as soon as the first roots push, 

 and this will very much interfere with their beauty when in bloom, 

 as the stems will be bent near the base. As an additional precau- 

 tion against tilting over, do not pot them too firm, that is to say, do 

 not press the bulb so liard that it will be bedded on a pavement when 

 in its place, as the first roots, being unable to penetrate the bard 

 soil, will lift the bulb up, and once out of position, it can never be 

 nicely put right again. 



All other details of cultivation are the same as have been 

 described in this and other works again and again. I abstain from 

 further detail, because the Editor assures me that he wants only 

 such facts as may be supposed to be unknown to the majority of 

 private cultivators. So I will wind up by saying that the pots 

 containing the bulbs should be packed close together in a well- 

 drained bed, and have one good watering. They should then be 

 covered six inches deep with coal-ashes, or any other sviitable 

 material, the most clean and suitable being cocoa-nut fibre waste. 

 They should never remain in this position beyond the 15th of 

 February, but in mild winters will have to be removed at least a 

 month earlier. Under auy circumstances they may be allowed to 

 push three inches before being taken out, but after that it would 

 harm them to remain. Place them for a week on the floor of a cool 

 house to become green, then put them in a gentle heat, and accord- 

 ing to the time when wanted in bloom, force them last or slow, 

 always taking care to keep a few back in full daylight in a cool 

 house, safe from frost, to furnish the latest display. Those ex- 

 pected to give extra fine spikes should be assisted by a top-dressing 

 of sheep's dung from the time when the spike begins to rise freely; 

 if there is no room to put this dressing on, remove a little of the 

 stuff first used to fill up the pots with round the bulb, so as to intro- 

 duce half an inch depth of the fresh dressing. I have tried Stan- 

 den's manure in the same way, and found it answer admirably. 

 Manure water I strongly object to, chiefly because of its liability to 

 misuse. When we have to trust much of our work to others, the 

 more simple the routine the better, and by using top-dressings and 

 pure soft water, the plants are much more safe than when liquid 

 manure is allowed, for one dose of it, if it is a little too strong, will 

 ruin the hopes and labours of a season. 



I forgot to remark in the proper place that when they have been 

 watered and plunged, small pots should be inverted over them before 

 covering them with tan or coal-ashes. I do not like the plunging 

 material to touch the bulbs, and this is prevented by inverting pots 

 over them. J. (J. 



