November, 1922 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



331 



Bulbs in Bowls 



BY the time this issue is circulated, it 

 will be getting a little late for pot- 

 ting bulbs, but there is still a way 

 open for those who wish, a way that will 

 provide much interest and pleasure. The 

 culture in mind is the somewhat new 

 method of growing in bowls, using fibre 

 or gravel. By following the simple in- 

 structions we will try to give, it is pos- 

 sible to plant at intervals right up to 

 Christmas, especially if a little judge- 

 ment is used in the selection of varieties. 

 The ideal receptacle to use is possibly a 

 bowl of either china or glass seven or 

 eight inches in diameter and three to 

 four inches deep. These may now be 

 bought in a number of shades to har- 

 monize with the room colorings where 

 fastidious taste demands it. But almost 

 anything in the way of a jardiniere or 

 bowl may be made to serve. It is in- 

 teresting to use a few glass bowls if they 

 are available, if only for the purpose of 

 watching the root action. To understand 

 the method of flowering bulbs without 

 any apparent nourishment, it is well to 

 know that the bloom is already formed 

 in the bulb before planting and needs 

 the proper atmosphere and moisture only 

 for development. vSome element has to 

 be provided to attract the roots, for which 

 purpose the fibre now so much in use is 

 prepared. Gravel to keep the bulbs 

 steady in the bowl with sufficient moisture 

 will serve the same purpose. 

 Varieties 

 For the earliest blooming paper white 

 and polyanthus narcissi are used. Daf- 

 fodils in variety with hyacinths and 

 tulips follow. Scillas and crocus are also 

 good, and being quite small bulbs may 

 be used in the smallest bowls or even 

 saucers. Daff'odils are generally im- 

 patient to start growth, for which reason 

 it is wise to plant them early. Hyacinths 

 and tuUps may be spread over a longer 

 season and can be planted almost up till 



i 



GroKfai Bulbs la Bowb 



"5 In 

 nature of a japlinicrn or howl together with^AOme fibre 

 or gravel will serve. 



the end of the year. Where bulbs are 

 held over for specially late planting they 

 should be kept in a cool dry place. 

 Planting 



If bulb fibre is used, it should first of 

 all be moistened until every part is 

 thoroughly soaked through. All the 

 superfluous water can be squeezed out 

 before using, the correct point of mois- 

 ture being known when but a little water 

 escapes with a moderately firm grasp of 

 the hand. If a variety of bowls is avail- 

 able select the shallow ones for small 

 bulbs like crocus and scillas and the 

 deeper ones for hyacinths, daffodils and 

 tulips. A little charcoal in the bottom 

 of each bowl will help to keep the mixture 

 sweet. Fill up loosely with fibre, plant 

 each bulb separately, almost touching 

 each other, adding fibre as the planting 

 proceeds, drawing it ' firmly round the 

 bulbs, leaving only the tops exposed. A 

 little white crushed grit, if available, 

 makes a better finish, but for growing 

 purposes that is not essential. 

 Growth 



As the roots absorb the moisture to be 

 conveyed to the bulb and thence to the 

 leaves and flowers it is necessary that the 

 roots shall be well developed. To en- 

 courage this the bowls should be kept in 

 a cool, and, if possible, well-ventilated 

 part of the house and protected from 

 strong light for a time. A cellar or attic 

 are ideal spots, but any odd corner of 

 the home where there is a minimum of 

 heat can be made to serve. A covering 

 of paper will provide sufficient screen 

 from light. The period for root develop- 

 ment varies to some extent but is usually 

 not less than six weeks or up until the 

 time when about one inch of top growth 

 is visible. Before bringing the bowls to 

 full light remove the paper for a few days 

 and then give the plants the best light 



Succulent Plants 



J. H. Callander 



FLOWER lovers, whose fancy leads 

 them to acquire such "odd forms of 

 plant life as the cacti are almost 

 sure to inclurle in their collection, a few 

 varieties of spineless succulents. These 

 peculiar forms of plant life are almost 

 as interesting as the cacti, as they grow 

 in just about as fantastic shapes as their 

 spiny companions. Their number is 

 legion, and because they grow into 

 mature specimens much c|uicker they are 

 really much more satisfactory house 

 plants than tlie .slow growing cacti. 



All have fle.shy leaves, in forms that in 

 some cases seem almost impossible for 

 nature to produce. This heavy foliage 

 constitutes their drought resisting feat- 

 ure, and it is just as well to give them 

 the kind of treatment in which they are 

 naturally fitted to flourish. 



available. This treatment tends to pre- 

 vent the foliage from getting too tall. A 

 chief aim in all bulb culture is to have 

 firm foliage with the flowers well set 

 above it. Light and abundance of it, is 

 the only medium to secure this condition 

 and for this reason keep the bowls as 

 close to light as is possible. If a succes- 

 sion of bloom is aimed at it is easily 

 secured bj"- keeping the plants in a cool 

 room, taking a few at a time into a 

 warmer temperature. 



This is an important part of the culture 

 described. As no two rooms are of. 

 exactly th$ same temperature it follows 

 that some plants require more water 

 than others. It should be remembered 

 that if the fibre is allowed to dry out 

 after planting, serious damage is done, 

 and even though the plant does not com- 

 pletely die a poor flower is produced. 

 Tulips absorb more moisture than the 

 other varieties named. Personal observa- 

 tion is the only real guide as to when 

 and how much water should be applied. 

 The fibre should be kept from being 

 sodden, but as long as no water collects 

 in the bottom of the bowls there is not 

 so much danger from over-watering as 

 there is in the other direction. On no 

 account have water in the bottom of the 

 bowls to touch the bulbs. It is quite 

 obvious, too, that plants grown in this 

 way in receptacles not usually porous, 

 do not demand as much water as if 

 grown in ordinary flower pots. 

 Balbs in Gravel 



To grow bulbs in gravel, the same kind 

 of treatment is given. The bulbs are 

 simply packed firmly in the gravel, being 

 almost covered as with the fibre. In this 

 case it is necessary to keep a little water 

 in the bottom of the bowl but this should 

 only barely touch the bottom of the bulb, 

 the principle being much the same as 

 growing hyacinths in glasses. The treat- 

 ment after planting is similar to that 

 described for growing in fibre. 



or Spineless Cacti 



Peterboro, Ont. 



A few of the families that are com- 

 monly found in the fancier's hands, are 

 Haworthias, Sedums, Crassulas, Aloes, 

 Echeverias, Mesembryanthemums, Sem- 

 pervivums, Rhipsalis, and many others. 



The Haworthias are a numerous 

 family of little plants resembling minia- 

 ture century plants. They form clusters 

 that are much prized by their owners. 



Sedums also are a large class, mostly 

 low, quick growing moss like forms. 

 One of the prettiest is S. pruinatum, 

 which forms masses of sky blue growth 

 about two inches high, covering the 

 ground quickly. 



Crassulas is also a large genus. It 

 covers a great range of forms, from C. 

 lycopodioides, an easily grown plant that 

 makes large masses of wiry stems bearing 

 fleshy protuberances that take the place 



