BULBS FOR SPRING BLOSSOMING. 



527 



should be brought in, pruned back and 

 repetted. 



Fuchsias for summer blooming- will re- 

 quire very little water. A cool cellar, 

 free from frost, suits the fuchsia very well 

 whilst in a dormant state. Cuttings of ger- 

 aniums that are rooted should be potted in 

 to rather light sandy soil, in small pots, and 

 remain in these until well established. 



Keep the atmosphere of the greenhouse, 

 or any situation where plants are growing, 

 as moist as possible. This will keep down 

 insect pests and less fumigating and syring- 

 ing will be necessary. 



Fuchsias will require plenty of water at 

 the roots now and during the flowering 

 season. A cool, slightly shaded position 

 suits these plants best when in flower. 



Keep the temperature of the greenhouse 

 or conservatory about 50° to 55° at night, 

 and 60° to 70° in the daytime. Plants re- 

 quire rest during the night. It is unnatural 

 and hurtful to give them a higher tempera- 

 ture at night than in the day time. This is 

 often done, especially during severe cold 

 weather and on dull days. 



HORTUS. 



Hamilton. 



BULBS FOR SPRING BLOSSOMING. 



[jVERYONE longs for spring to come 

 when winter is here. The sight 

 of budding trees and bursting flower 

 buds is a glorious change from the 

 barren fields of winter. This is why the 

 earliest flowers of spring give the most plea- 

 sure to every one. Aside from the earliest 

 of the wild flowers, none are more valued 

 than Dutch bulbs, and none are more beau- 

 tiful. Coming into bloom as they do just 

 as lawns and trees are putting on their early 

 green, they are simply enchanting. 



October and November are the months 

 for planting bulbs, but those who have not 

 done so before these months expire need not 

 fear to do so later, even should it be in open 

 weather succeeding a freezing time. I have 

 planted them at New Year and have had fine 

 bloom. Indeed there is no reason why one 

 should not, as all that is required is to have 

 them in the ground two or three months be- 

 fore blooming, so that there will be ample 

 time for them to make root. From the early 

 part of January to the beginning of April, 

 which is the time bulbs flower here, there is 



ample time for the formation of roots, if but 

 a little aid is given. 



This assistance can easily be given by 

 mulching, to keep the frost out. But it 

 should be said first that late planting will be 

 the better if the bulbs are set an inch or two 

 deeper than common, to be out of the reach 

 of frost. Hyacinths, for instance, which 

 usually are set with their tops two inches 

 under ground, should be four inches. Af- 

 ter they are planted, cover the beds with 

 leaves, manure, hay or straw. Perhaps the 

 best covering is loose, well-rotted manure, 

 because it need not be removed when win- 

 ter is over. Forest leaves make a warm, 

 excellent covering, but a few inches in depth, 

 keeping out the severest frost. In this pro- 

 tected way, late ones will do as well as 

 early-planted ones. 



The mistake is sometimes made of plant- 

 ing bulbs in sheltered nooks close to a dwell- 

 ing, where it is too warm for them. Flow- 

 ers are developed so early that late frosts 

 catch them. Some years ago I set some 

 hyacinths and crocuses close to the wall or 



