

THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 3l5 



the heat of the room or greenhouse has taken off the " chill." The 

 flowers will receive a check if you do not attend to this. Such 

 plants as appear to grow too rapidly should be removed to a little 

 cooler situation — say from the sitting-room to the parlour, or any 

 such place, according to convenience. On the other hand, such as 

 appear too stunted should be removed for a short time to a little 

 warmer situation — on a chimney-piece, for instance, in the sitting- 

 room ; but not for too long a period, or they will be weak and 

 pale, as before stated. Observation is the best guide in all these 

 matters. 



Application op the Support. — The support may be fixed in 

 the bottle previous to placing the bulb in it, or when the flower has 

 grown six or seven inches high. Place the lower, or springing 

 circle, round the stem and leaves; then raise the bulb a little from 

 the bottle and pass the wire over it ; fix the spring in its place by 

 compressing it with your forefinger and thumb ; then place your 

 right hand round the back of the upright rod ; with your finger and 

 thumb spring open the sliding wire sufficiently to admit the flower 

 stem, at the same time holding the whole of the leaves in the left 

 hand ; raise the sliding wire as high as the flower will admit, and 

 place one by one the leaves within it, first having decided where the 

 rod should be placed, that the leaves may be arranged uniformly. 

 Open the small wire and place it immediately under the flower; 

 then close it again ; raise or lower the wire encircling the leaves 

 according to taste. 



When the plants receive the light from one side only, turn them 

 round often, or the flowers will incline towards it. 



Keep the bottles filled with water, observing the temperature, as 

 before directed. 



If the hyacinths are grown in pots, on the open ground, select 

 the finest flowers, and remove them in battles. In doing this turn 

 them out of the pots, and place them in a tub of water, not too cold, 

 for a few minutes ; the soil may then be easily removed, without in- 

 jury to the flowers. Wash the roots clean, and place them, as before 

 directed, in the bottles. The improved appearance will well repay 

 the trouble. 



Treatment apter Flowering. — Many bulbs are rendered 

 utterly worthless by careless treatment after they have done bloom- 

 ing; whereas, fine blooms, if not equal to tli3 first season, may be 

 re':ed upon, if treated in the following manner : — 



The moment the flowers "begin to decay, remove them from the 

 glasses, and plant them in good rich compost, consisting of three parts 

 of good decayed turf, and one each of well rotted cow-dung and sand.* 

 Let the flowers and leaves die off before taking up the bulbs ; and do 

 not on any account cut them off when green, as this greatly im- 

 poverishes the bulb. 



* This is the plan pursued by Ihe Dutch growers, who in making their com- 

 post, prefer the softer leaves of elm, lime and birch, and reject those of ouk, 

 chestnut, walnut, beech, plana, &.c, which do not decay so quickly. 

 October. 



