280 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
Candeur, Lady Franklin, Gigantea, Queen Victoria, Mont Blane, 
Madame Van der Hoop, Queen of the Netherlands. Sixeun Buvue: 
Charles Dickens, Generali Lauriston, Grand Lilas, General Havelock, 
Marie, Baron Van Tuyll, Prince Albert, Grand Vidette, Lord 
Palmerston, Argus. 
If more than forty bulbs are wanted, duplicates of any of those 
named may be ordered. I have not mentioned any of the so-called 
yellow varieties, for at the best they are poor, indecisive things, and 
certainly not admissible in such a select collection as would be 
formed by the above-mentioned. The list should be made out at 
once, and sent to the seedsman. If the bulbs are potted in Sep- 
tember, so much the better; but they should be potted, at the latest, 
by the middle of October. In selecting hyacinths for vases, jardinets, 
and pans, it is necessary to bear in mind that one variety in each 
receptacle produces the best effect. If these receptacles are filled 
with different varieties, the effect will, in all probability, be spoilt. 
When several bulbs of any one variety are put in each jardinet or 
pan, they may be depended upon to bloom together. But a pan 
containing a mixture, generally presents two or three flowers just at 
ee best, some in a faded state, and others just coming into 
bloom. 
The best way of growing the varieties named above is singly, 
in pots from five to six inches in diameter. Let the pots be clean 
and well drained. The best compost is prepared by incorporating 
mellow loam and well-rotted dung or leaf-soil, in equal parts, and 
then adding a fair sprinkling of sand. When potted, the bulb should 
be just under the surface, with the neck just visible. The colours 
should be put to each bulb if the full name is not attached, as then 
any number can be drawn from them for forcing or retarding, as the 
case may be, with the certainty of having a fair proportion of each 
colour. When all are potted, they ought to have a soaking of water 
if the soil in which they are potted is at all dry. If the soil is mode- 
rately moist, they wili not require to be watered, as the moisture 
in the soil will suffice for them until they begin to grow. For the 
plunge bed, choose a shady spot beneath a north wall or fence, for 
the object now is to keep them cool for a few weeks. Let the 
bottom be made firm, or be covered with slates or tiles, to prevent 
the worms entering the pots. When the pots are placed close 
together on the hard surface, cover them all over with cocoa-nut 
fibre refuse, if it can be had, as it is cleanly and in every way the 
best plunging material that can be employed. If this refuse is not 
obtainable, spent tan or sifted cinder ashes may be substituted. 
Lay on sufficient to cover the pots to a depth of at least four 
inches, the object of the covering being to place a sufficient weight 
upon the bulbs to keep them firmly in the soil. If the bulbs are 
not covered when they begin to emit roots, they are sometimes raised 
a little out of the soil ; hence the importance of keeping the bulbs well 
down until the roots have obtained a firm hold of the soil. The 
length of time they may remain plunged depends upon the time they 
are wanted to flower. In every case they should remain so covered 
for six weeks, and if not wanted to flower before the end of 
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