BULBS IN POTS, BOWLS, AND GLASSES 1 39 



planted early in autumn, and should be kept in a cold green- 

 house or frame until growth appears, when they may be 

 brought into a rather higher temperature. 



Gladiolus. — The dwarf species, such as Ackerman (salmon 

 blotched with violet) or The Bride (white), are the most 

 suitable for pots. They flower in June or July. But if they 

 are potted in batches at different times, their season can be 

 greatly prolonged. 



Gloxinia. — These beautiful plants should be treated in 

 the same way as begonias, except that the temperature should 

 be rather higher. If raised from seed sown in February 

 they will flower in summer. But better results will be obtained 

 with young tubers, which should be started in boxes of sandy 

 soil laid on bricks on the hot-water pipes, and potted as soon 

 as they begin to grow. Failures with gloxinias are not un- 

 common. Sometimes the plants produce a great number of 

 leaves and only two or three flowers, and sometimes, as in 

 " blind " cauliflowers, there are very few leaves and no flowers. 

 In the former case the cause is excessive richness of soil ; in the 

 latter it is some check to growth, possibly disease, but most 

 frequently some cultural fault, such as the use of cold water 

 drawn from a tap or from an outside tank. If there is a 

 tank inside the greenhouse the water from it may be used, 

 but if it is first made lukewarm it will be still better. Artificial 

 fertilisers should not be applied to gloxinias until they have 

 formed their flower-buds, and even then the application 

 should be weak. When the plants have finished flowering, 

 they should be gradually dried off like begonias, and after- 

 wards should be kept quite dry, either in their pots or in a 

 box of sand in the greenhouse, or in a warm cupboard. 



Hyacinth. — Only the best bulbs should be grown in 

 pots, bowls, or glasses. They should be large, solid, and 

 heavy. If they are flabby, they have been so long exposed 

 to the air that they have lost an excessive amount of 

 moisture. If they are loose and show a tendency to split, 

 and especially if the central point is damaged, they will break 

 up into offsets instead of concentrating on the production of 

 a single flowering stem. And the heavier they are for their 



