338 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAUDENEB. 



I Oolobu as, 180). 



recommend onttiog tbe Yiaea well back in winter and baring 

 the f terns down to tlie roots, to make, if possible, a bboot etart 

 from below tbe ground Icvtl, and afier^xards to Gil Ibe bi>ll»w with 

 light compost ; roots nill i-!>ue from the base of tbe new eboot, 

 and a vigoroas gro;rtb will be tbo result. Another way would 

 be to graft on a etrougergroniug variety. 



Mrs. Pincc, c.Llrary ti) the experience of "E. M. W.," and 

 others, grows rig>ruusly on it^ own roots here; it if, in fnct, tbe 

 most rampant grower I have seen. — J. W., Oxton, Cheshire. 



HYACINTHS. TULIPS, AKD OTHER BULBS 

 IN POTS. 



I AM well aware Ihot the subject of tbe cultivation of tbe 

 Hyacintb in pole is almost a thieadbare one; it b&s been fre- 

 quently baiidlfd, nnd yet there are always found am'ing tbe 

 readers of The Jocknal of Hortici'ltche a clafe 5\bo are 

 in tbe infancy of tbtir taflfuicg profession, and who are glad 

 of any iiiformatioii tbat Cimoa witbin their reach. 



Next in degree of enjoyment to tbnt derived from tbo cul- 

 tivation of tbo Hyacinth in glasses, is tbiit of their culture in 

 pots. T.> judge from the hpecImCDS one too frequt-mly meets 

 with, there is urgent cectssily alvaysfor tome di:tcii iia on 

 this head wiih tbe view of attaining a higher level of cultural 

 skill. Ue Ciueb pots for the purpose, and be contcut with 

 one bulb in each. Uso for potting a compost of ouebalf of 

 hearty fibrous loam, end tbe other half of equal proportions of 

 thoronpbly well-rotted dung dry enough to be readily pul- 

 verised, and leaf soil. In felecting bulb*, do not always sup- 

 pose tbo largest j^ive the best Fpikes. Varieties of Hyacinths 

 whose bulb^ ere ^juncrally very large— such as Waterloo, double 

 red ; and hiid ■Wellington, and Temple Van Apollo, single 

 red, invariably tbrow two or three epiUes, which arc frequently 

 small in size, instead o* giving one large and bold il'ustration. 

 I like Mr. .Tames Ciitbusb's test of weight rather than mere 

 size ; this is a gol.len r;;!e to be observed in tbe felection of 

 Hyaeiutbs. Pot about the end of 0-^iober, or early in Novem- 

 ber, and if jou like make t.vo or three pollings of the Hya- 

 cinths with a vieiv of aiding a succession of bloom, though it 

 by no means follows tbat the Hyoeinlhs last potted will be tbe 

 best to bir.om. Have a good large hole iu tbe bottom of Ibe 

 pot, be sparing of drainage, and put something good nt xt tbe 

 crocks for tbo routs to lay hold of, as thfy are sure to gi> dnwn- 

 wards. Dj not prees tbe soil hard on which the base of the 

 bulb is to rest — some people pound it as if they were manu- 

 faotnring a pa\ement — and cover fully two-thirds of the Hya- 

 cinth with soil. Where tbcre is a cool, dry, daik cellar to 

 plaee them in, you aio inde; endint of tbo tradiiioual coal 

 aohes. Wbere there is no such convenience, eet y^'Ur pots 

 oat of duors iu some dry place, placing them on coal ashes 

 or pieces of slate to keep tbe worms from making their way 

 into tbe pots, and if you have them invert a thumh-pot over 

 each bulb before covering them with coal ashea. Tbia is in- 

 tended simply to prevent any injury to the growi.>!g thoot by 

 contact with the wet ashes. In six weeks or eo, tlity will be 

 fit to be disinterred, and can bo placed in a cool grttnbouse or 

 frame, and allowed to take their own way. 



Unlees you ore familiar with plant-forcicg, and have the 

 convenience for it, do not attempt it, and accept this hint 

 as well worthy attention — •wbctber you exhibit or do, en- 

 deavour to grow your Hyncintbs as fine as possible. I once 

 created a Eensation at a Hyacinth exhibition in the midland 

 districts by producing some flowers that were regarded as 

 astonishingly line for that district. I had a two-liybt fiame 

 at my di-pofal, and over the bottom of it I pbiced about 

 3 inches of roiten manure thoroughly saturated with a vigour- 

 giving ammonieeal liquid. I then knocked away nearly tbe 

 whole of the bottoms of tbe pots and placed them on tbe 

 manure, and as soon as tbe slightest appearance of colour was 

 presented, I applied once a-day eoma liquid manure made from 

 green cow dutg and diluted by one part to two parts of reft 

 water. Tbat fl.^ricultural "dodge,"' thongh I can hardly think 

 it was unjusliiiaUe, gained me both the first and eccjnd prizes 

 in two classes, and overwhelmed my adversaries with envy and 

 surprise. 



Tbe following are excellent sorts and by no means generally 

 eipens-ive varieiies— viz., Double Pud: Lord Wellingtjn, a va- 

 riety tbat eh-.uld never be omitled. Double Blue: Laurens 

 Koster and Bluksberg. Double While: hi Tour u'Anverguo 

 and Princo of Waterloo, but the last two are by no means 

 essential. Sii>gle Red: Annie Lisle, Duchess of Eio'imond, 



Emmeline, Gigantea, Li Dame da Lio, Lord Wellington, 

 Norma, Robeit Steigcr, Sultan's Favourite, and Temple of 

 Apollo. Single JHue . Baron Van TujII, Bleu Mfurant, Charles 

 Dickens, Grand Lilas, Ltonidas, Mimosa, Orondates, and 

 Regulus. Single White: Alba Saperbis°ima, Anna Paulowns, 

 a fine single form of tbe old double Grootvoor^t; Cleopatnt, 

 Grandeuril Merveille, Grand Vainqueur, Madame Van der Hoop, 

 Mont Blanc, Seraphine, and Themidtoclc;. Single YelJou : 

 Anna Carolina and Heroine. 



These give some thirty-four varieties, from which a good 

 twenty-four could be selected. 



At tbe Lond(.n and Liverpool Hyacinth Show?, the pot is 

 dropped into a larger one, and mots ip nicely laid over the top. 

 1 imagine this to be a practice coming nilbin tbe range of what 

 Mr. William Paul terms (md oDdimns) as " flotiotiltural 

 millinery;" but then, as he does it himself, he at least would 

 hesitate to include it. 



In growing Hyacinths fjr exhibition, look well after tbe 

 foliage. There iu as much art in developing good foliage as in 

 prodac'ing good flowers ; and all other things considered, a 

 thorough judge of Hyacinths attaches some importance to it. 

 In these terrible pitched battles with Hyacinths between 

 Messrs. Cutbuih and Fai;!, tbe matter il foliage wil some- 

 times almost, it not quite, decide tbe fortunes of tbe day. 

 What is worse than tj seo a fine tpiko of flowers quite bidden 

 within a kind of leafy pallisading, as if Flora had impounded it 

 for some crime ? It is almost as bad as staging a collection of 

 cut Bo£ce, and omitting to tako ( C tbe lid of the box. I know 

 th'kt some sorts, and especially among the single white and blue 

 flowers, will throw up their foliage ; nevertheless, it can be kept 

 witbia duo bounds if the cultivation be properly looked after. 



Sume pots of PoLY.ixiiics Kakcisjcs should be cultivated for 

 tbe decoration of the conservatory or greenhouse. Tbe flowers 

 are so powerfully fragrant, as to be almo-t unbearable by some 

 persons in a sitting-room, but they should always have a 

 place in tbe conservatory. Do not put a tingle bulb iu a pot, 

 but yoke them iu couples, as two bulbs in a Cinch pot, or 

 better still, three in an Sinch pot. A soil similar to that re- 

 commended for the Hyacinth can be Ured, and .'■imilar treat- 

 ment subsequently. They are very easily managed, and well 

 repay a little Iroutjlo. The following are fine for pot cul.ure-- 

 BdZi.'li'nan mej'>r and Glotiofa, two of tbe best ; Ihe yellow 

 Grand Mouarquo, Mutal OrienUlis, Sir li^aac Newton, Soleil 

 d'Or, and a pretty dwarf-growing variety, L'Eioile dOr. 



Thosa very beautiful decorative plants, tbeEAiu-T-FLOWEBlliO 

 TcLiPS, must not be neglected, especially as tbey are admi- 

 rably adapted for pot culture. I know one place where these 

 are largely grown in pots for deC'irative rurposes, and are 

 iu flower from Christmas till tbe end of May. Three bulbs 

 should be placed in a Cinch pot, and some sand be added to 

 the compost recommended for th*) Hyacinth and Narcifisus, the 

 after-treatment being similar. The bulbs should be buried just 

 beneath tbe soil. 



Here are some good single varieties, not too dear in price : — 

 Cuuleur Cardinal, Garibaldi, Monument, Couleur Pon^ean, 

 Scarlet Van Tbol, and Vermilion Biillant, scarlet, crimson, 

 and deep rose shades ; Paul Putter, Purple Crown, and Van del 

 Neer, shades of purple; Proserpine, Hose Luisante, and Queen 

 of Violets, rose ; Canary Bird, Gold Prince, and Yellow P^tle- 

 bakker, yellow; Thomas Moore, buff; Pox Alba and White 

 Pjttebakker, white ; Duobesse de Parma. Kt izer Kioon, La 

 Cour do France, Ptiucespo d'Autriche, Queen Victoria, Bose 

 Giia de Lin, and Bosa Muudi, edged and feathered flowers; 

 and Bride of Hiarlcm, Globe de Bigaud, Joost Van Voudel, Paul 

 Moreelae, Boyal Standard, Marquis uu Wessenrode, and red- 

 striped Pottebiikker, striped fiov.erf. Of the double-Dowering 

 kinds : — Impcrator Bubrorum, E^eu CC'lesto, Rex Rubrorum, 

 LaCandeur, Rose Eclataute, and Yellow Toamcsol, self flowers; 

 Duke of Tor'i,-, Gloria Solis, and Tuuruesol, edged flowtri ; and 

 La Belle Alliance, Coiuonne Imperiale, and Marriage de ma 

 Fillo, striped flowers. 



It is a good plan, just as the flowers are fully expanded, to 

 bind them round with a piece of fine rilk. This considerably 

 prolongs the duration of bloom, especially if they be kept in a 

 somewhat shady position. 



Then the "happy and beautiful Cbocus" should be repre- 

 sented also. Tlie same size of pot, G-incb, and soil as for 

 Tulips, will suit tbe Crocus admirably, and six bulbs should be 

 placed in a pot. For earliest blooming, begin with Crocus 

 biflorus, or the Scotch Crocus, a very pretty, tbongb small, but 

 singularly free-blooming foim, the flowers pencilled with rosy 

 violet on a pale ground, and the Cloth of Gold. Then fur sue- 



