286 MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



then be put into a cupboard, or any dark place, for about three weeks, by which 

 time they will have made fine long roots : the water should then be changed, 

 and the bottom of the bulb carefully cleaned, and all mouldiness washed off'. 

 When they are again placed in the glasses, the water should rise to about half 

 an inch above the lowest part of the bulb : they may then be placed either at 

 the window or in any other part of the room that is convenient, where they will 

 require water once a fortnight until they commence blooming, when they will 

 require it almost every other day, as at that period they grow much faster and 

 absorb more water than at any other. After they have bloomed, the bulbs should 

 be taken out of the glasses, and if there is a garden attached to the house, they 

 may be planted in any part that is out of the way, where they may remain until 

 the middle of August, when they should be taken up and dried : they will then 

 be fit either for planting in pots or in the garden ; the latter would do best, as 

 they never succeed well in glasses a second year. 



When cultivated in pots, they should be planted about the beginning of No- 

 vember, in a mixture of mould, which may be procured at any gardener's, and 

 placed in the garden or on a ledge, whichever is most convenient: a cellar would 

 answer the purpose very well, where there is no garden. They should then be 

 well watered once or twice, and covered over with ashes or mould to the depth of 

 about one foot, until the middle of December, when, after being cleaned, they 

 may be brought into the room, where they should be watered once a day until 

 they begin to grow very strong, when they may stand in water, with a saucer 

 placed under the pot. After they have done flowering, they may either remain 

 in pots or be planted in the garden, and treated in the manner before described. 



There is also another very pretty and convenient mode of cultivating them, 

 which is in moss without any mould. This is very convenient for large vases, 

 moss being so much lighter than mould, and therefore more easily moved from 

 one place to another. When grown in this manner, the pot or vase should be 

 filled with moss, and the bulbs pressed firmly iuto it ; after which a small piece 

 of wire or string should be placed across the top of the vase to prevent the moss 

 from falling out. When the bulbs begin to grow, care should be taken that the 

 moss is always kept wet, which is easily done by sprinkling a little water over it 

 every day, in the same manner as ordinary plants. This is the only attention 

 they require, and they will flower equally well as those that are grown in 

 pots. 



The Crocus requires much the same treatment as the Hyacinth ; but. from 

 the smallness of its growth, it may be cultivated in a great variety of ways. 

 Crocuses will flower very well if placed in a common saucer filled with sand, and 

 placed upon the table or mantle-piece : they are also quite hardy, and may be 

 grown in pots and boxes outside the window, where, from the gay colour of their 

 flowers they form a very pleasing contrast to the dulness of everything around 

 them. When placed outside the window, they will scarcely ever require water, 

 except the weather should happen to be very mild, which it is not likely to be at 

 this season of the year. 



Narcissus. — The following are the best varieties of this sweet-scented flower, 

 which thrive well in glasses. 



Double Roman, white, interspersed with yellow. 

 Soleil d'Or, single, yellow, with orange cup. 

 Grand Monarque, single, white, with yellow cup. 



These varieties should be treated much in the same manner as Hyacinths, and 

 after they have done flowering should be planted in the garden, where they may 

 remain during the winter, so as to flower early in the spring; or may be taken 

 up in the autumn, and treated as described for the Hyacinths. 



Tulips may be flowered very early, according to the time they are planted. 

 Thev may be seen in flower in December, and again in April. They do not 

 flower well in glasses, as the bulbs are too small. They may be grown either in 

 mould or moss, and require a good supply of water. The after part of their 

 treatment is the same as that described for Narcissus and Hyacinths. 



Extract from Bouquet, or Lady's Flower Garden. 



