ON FORCING THE HYACINTH. 255 



ments, repeatedly tried, he proved their efficacy in preserving the 

 waters pure from the time they were put in the glasses until after 

 flowering. 



Mr. Massie agreed with Mr. Shearer that coal-ashes injured the 

 tops of the leaves. He preferred old tan, as leaf-mould was gene- 

 rally infested with slugs. The water he used was preserved by boil- 

 ing it. He recommended the greater portion of the compost to be 

 decomposed cow-dung for growing them in beds. 



Mr. Sherwood was of opinion that, by boiling the water, the acid, 

 if it contained anv, would be removed. 



Mr. Guilfoyle always covered with leaves : the compost one-half 

 road-scrapings, one quarter cow-dung, and one quarter light loam. 



Mr. Caie considered that the vegetable particles in water are de- 

 stroyed, either by boiling, by the admixture of lime or of charcoal, 

 or, as directed by Mr. Kerman, by a small quantity of nitre to per- 

 petuate its freshness. 



Mr. Morse observed a difficulty in forcing the double yellows. 

 When removed from the tan, he always covered them with loose hay, 

 to induce them to throw up good stems. He found, in cutting the 

 bulbs of such as did not rise well, that they were rotten. He was 

 fearful, when the brown paper was removed, that a sudden exposure 

 to light would injure the leaves ; but in all other particulars he ap- 

 proved of the essay. 



Mr. Guilfoyle alluded to the practice adopted in Holland, where 

 they were grown and increased in soils naturally sandy. He used 

 cow-dung and coarse sand for flowering them in beds. 



Mr. Morse observed that, after forcing, the bulbs were not restored 

 to their original vigour for three years. He planted four inches deep 

 in cow-dung and loam, and always found it difficult to produce good 

 bulbs from offsets. 



Mr. Caie. — Deep planting was the best way to restore them to 

 vigour. He detailed many systems which he adopted at Woburn 

 Abbey, and believed that a gay appearance could be given to flower- 

 gardens in early spring, by planting in beds, and forming into groups 

 of diversified colours, Scillas, Anemonies, Cyclamens, and many other 

 bulbs invaluable for early flowering. 



Mr. Shearer never particularly noticed any difficulty in forcing the 

 double yellows. The specimens exhibited were Daniel O'Connell 

 and Princess Charlotte. He tried to grow them in s and and in 



