WINTER WINDOW GARDENING 



AN ADDRESS BY WM. HUNT, ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, GUELPH. 



(concluded) 



are frozen too hard. All potted bulbs re- 

 quire plenty of water after they are brought 

 out to the light, that is, the soil should never 

 become really dry at any time. 



In potting bulbs, the top or apex of 

 bulb should be barely showing above the 

 surface of the soil. Three Roman hyacinths 

 or three or four bulbs of narcissi can usu- 

 ally be planted in four or five inch pots. In 

 the case of Dutch hyacinths one bulb to a 

 four inch pot is usually sufficient. 



The Freesia is another useful and easily 

 grown winter flowering bulb. Plant five or 

 six bulbs in a four or five inch pot in the 

 manner described for hyacinths, etc., but do 

 not bury the pots under ashes or soil. Stand 

 the pots in a fairly sunny position in a tem- 

 perature of about 50 or 60 degrees, and 

 water sparingly after the first watering until 

 growth has well commenced. The first 

 Freesia bulbs can be potted in August, and 

 as often as required afterwards until No- 

 vember. The delicious odor from only a 

 single spray of these flowers will perfume a 

 large house. Late planted Freesias should 

 be started in the window. The Arum or 

 Calla Lily should be kept nearly or quite dry 

 during the summer months. The best place 

 for these lilies during the summer is to lay 

 the pots on their sides about the first of June 

 or as soon as the plants are out of flower. A 

 shaded position under trees or in the shade 

 of a building or fence is a good place for 

 them while dormant. Re-pot them in Au- 

 gust if necessary, but do not overpot them, 

 as too large a pot often means a lot 

 of leaves and no lilies. Give the plants lots 



Fig. 2765. Anthericum Picturatum. 



Dutch hyacinths and several varieties of 

 Narcissi, such as Von Scion, Poeticus, and 

 the Trumpet, are among the best and 

 easiest varieties of bulbs to grow in a win- 

 dow, although the Jonquils and other types 

 of Narcissi than those mentioned succeed 

 splendidly as window plants. These last 

 mentioned species of bulbs are later flower- 

 ing than the Roman hyacinths, and do not 

 usually come into flower until February or 

 later. When potting these later flowering 

 bulbs it would be advisable to bury the pots 

 in the cellar, or plunge them in some posi- 

 tion where they can be protected from very 

 severe frosts. A certain amount of freez- 

 ing will not hurt them, but it is difficult to 

 remove the pots without injury when they 



