BULBS IN POTS, BOWLS, AND GLASSES 1 33 



fibre. It is supposed to be cleaner than soil, but that is its 

 only advantage. If it is kept moist it supplies the water 

 necessary for the development of the flowers, but it does not 

 provide food. The bulbs, therefore, deteriorate, and are 

 useless for growing in this way a second time, though they 

 may, when they have served this purpose, be planted out in 



Fig. 58. — Hyacinth bulb in water. 



the garden. The difficulty with bowls is to regulate the 

 supply of water properly. As there are no holes in the 

 bottom, there is always the danger that the fibre may be kept 

 too wet, and, on the other hand, the desire to avoid this 

 may result in its being too dry ; it should be only slightly 

 damp until growth commences, and afterwards the amount of 

 water should be increased. 



When such bulbs as hyacinths are grown in glasses they 



