THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 279 
THE BEST SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS FOR THE 
CONSERVATORY. 
BY JOSEPH MACDONALD. 
Rye) NCE more the appearance of the bulb catalogues warns us 
‘Yua that the season for the preparation for a display of 
§ & flowers in spring is at hand. I fear, however, that a 
good many amateurs do not heed the warnings the 
“4 trade lists convey sufficiently early to enable them 
to make the most of what is offered. In fact, I know it to be the 
case with many growers they have no idea of taking time by the 
forelock, and in vain does the bulb merchant make a request for the 
orders to be sent early. I have no reason to find fault if growers 
are satisfied with whatever results follow; but I have a perfect right 
to say that if they would take heed of the intimation given by the 
tradesman, a finer display would be the result of their labour. In 
the request of the merchant to send orders early, there may be an 
eye to business ; but the nurseryman knows well enough that bulbs 
do not improve by being kept out of the ground. If we take 
Nature for our guide in this matter, we shall not go far astray. 
We all know that Nature’s store-room is mother earth; and we may 
be well assured that when hyacinths and other bulbs are preserved by 
any other means—such, for example, as in drawers and paper bags— 
they are not placed under conditions most favourable for preserving 
them in the best manner possible. The only means of closely 
imitating Nature is to plant them as soon as possible in the autumn. 
The cultivator who does plant early will stand a much better 
chance than those who defer the work until a more advanced period. 
To what extent bulbs are injured by being any length of time 
out of the ground, I shall not pretend to say ; but we may be well- 
assured they are not improved by exposure to the air. 
Next in importance to early planting, is a judicious selection of 
sorts. Hyacinths may be very properly placed first on the list of 
these, and I will at once state that the single varieties usually give 
the finest spikes of bloom. There area few good double sorts which 
it is very desirable to grow, because they furnish colours which 
should be represented in every good collection. 
In the following list I give the names of forty varieties which I 
have made a point of growing for our conservatory for several years 
past, and they are so thoroughly good that, although they are a 
trifle dearer than some other kinds, I can recommend them with 
every confidence :— 
Dovste Rev: Baron Rothschild, Princess Royal, Waterloo, Lord 
Wellington, rederick the Great, Regina Victoria. Dovustn Wutte: 
Anna Maria, Heroine, Jenny Lind. Dovusin Buuve: Blocksberg, 
Garrick, Laurens Koster, 
Stncte Rep: Macaulay, Amy, Czar Nicholas, Victoria Alez- 
andrina, Norma, Jenny Lind, Mrs. Beecher Stowe, Sir Henry Havelock. 
Smneve Wurm: Alba Mavima, Baroness Van Tuyll, Mozart, La 
September. 
