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CHAPTER XL 



WINDOW GARDENING, AND THE MANAGEMENT 

 OF PLANTS IN POTS IN SMALL GREENHOUSES. 



Plants kept in living -rooms are either grown 

 in glasses of water or in pots. The plants 

 grown in water are, hyacinths, which are gene- 

 rally kept in glasses intended solely for that 

 purpose ; crocuses, which are usually grown in 

 earthenware vessels, with holes for the flowers 

 to come through ; Van Thol Tulips ; and Poly- 

 anthus Narcissus. Of these the hyacinths are 

 by far the most common and the most certain 

 of success. The best time for procuring these 

 bulbs is October, and the water should just 

 reach the bottom of the bulb. When it is 

 wished to hasten the growth of the plants, 

 warm water should be used ; and many persons 

 advise boiling the water before putting it into 

 the glasses, to prevent its becoming bad by 

 standing. Many persons advise keeping the 

 glasses in the dark till the roots have developed 

 themselves, but this is rather a doubtful prac- 

 tice, and is not always attended with success. 

 Various expedients have been devised for keep- 

 ing the hyacinths upright, as when there is a 

 heavy flower it sometimes falls over and over- 

 balances the roots. 



The management of plants in pots when 

 kept in living-rooms is extremely difficult from 



u 



