ON THE CULTURE OF DUTCH BULBS IN POTS. 55 



ARTICLE IV.— On the Culture of Dutch Bulbs in Pots. 

 By Mr. F. F. Ashford. 



Observing in Vol. I. page 242, of your valuable Monthly Peri- 

 odical, that a Querist, Mr. J. B. Denton, asks for a little infor- 

 mation respecting the cultivation of Dutch Bulbs, in pots, requi- 

 site for their flowering freely, I sit down to the consideration of 

 his request, and pen a few remarks, which upon receiving, if you 

 deem worthy of admission into the pages of the Cabinet, they are 

 entirely at vour disposal. In my opinion, there are no plants that 

 produce and expand their blossoms at the time when forced 

 Dutch bulbs generally do, deserving of general cultivation, and a 

 little extra trouble, more than this tribe of plants — Hyacinths, 

 Tulips, Narcissuses, Crocuses, &c of every hue and colour, of dif- 

 ferent heights (from three inches to two feet and two feet six 

 inches high), and their blossoms so very odoriferous that they 

 fully compensate for the care bestowed upon them by their culti- 

 vators. The method I propose to elucidate is not primarily my 

 own (though one I shall follow), but Mr. F. Godall's, Gardener 

 at Rode Hall, Cheshire, which after a fair trial will be found effi- 

 cient, and answer the expectation of every one. 



After a sufficient quantity of bulbs have been procured from the 

 nursery early in October, prepare them for potting by removing 

 all the loose rind and offsets or side bulbs ; at the same time care 

 must be taken not to injure the bulbs in the least by so doing. 



Compost. — This should be prepared the preceding winter, and 

 consist of the following : — One barrowful of well decomposed hot- 

 bed dung ; one barrowful of vegetable leaf mould ; two barrowfuls 

 of fresh maiden loam ; and a quarter of a barrowful of drift sand. 

 These materials must be well chopped and mixed together and 

 thrown into a heap, that the frost and atmosphere may decompose 

 and pulverise the various substances that this mixture may con- 

 tain ; and about the middle of September convey it to a dry open 

 shed, that it may become dry before using. 



Potting. — The bulbs, after having been prepared as above, must 

 l>e pott) '1 in the soil in pots proportioned to the size and 

 sort of bulb. Fill the pots and shake the soil down well, but do 

 not press it with the hand before commencing to plant the roots; 

 then lay Bome -and on the top of the soil in the middle of the pot, 



