IMPORTED BULBS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



subdued light until the blanched foliage 

 has attained its healthy green color and 

 then to a sunny situation. 



Abundance of air and plenty of water 

 at the roots is necessary for early well 

 developed flower spikes. 



A dry or frosty atmosphere, or a 

 draughty situation, will cause the flower 

 buds to shrivel. Force gently in a tem- 

 perature of about 70 degrees. 



If you prefer finely developed trusses 

 of rich colors to early flowers, the 

 hyacinth should not be forced, but left 

 longer outdoors to develop and then 

 removed to a mild temperature like that 

 of a sitting room window, where it will 

 also get the most sunlight. 



When cultivated in glasses the base 

 of the bulb should at all times just 

 touch the water in which a few pieces 

 of charcoal have been placed. 



Keep in a cool, dark place until there 

 is an abundance of root growth, they 

 can then be gradually admitted to the 

 light until they are placed in the sunniest 

 situation. Avoid a too dry or frosty 

 atmosphere. 



Bulbs that have flowered in water are 

 of little use, and results of any account 

 can be had only when planted out of 

 doors. 



When done flowering cut down the 

 flower stalk and continue watering, allow- 

 ing the leaves to return their nutriment 

 to the bulbs. When the leaves have be- 

 come withered the bulb should be placed 



in a sunny situation for a week to dry, 

 and then placed in dry sand for next 

 season. 



Quite often bulbs of the second year's 

 growth, or those which have not attained 

 a sufficient supply of roots before being 

 admitted to the light, will put forth their 

 buds away down among the leaves and 

 refuse to elongate their flower scalks as 

 they ought to, which is disappointing 

 indeed. 



If you observe a tendency in this 

 direction make some cones of thick 

 paper and invert over the plant, cut off" 

 the apex of the cone making a hole about 

 an inch in diameter for admission of 

 light. The buds will reach up towards 

 this opening in their eagerness to get to 

 the light, and in this way the stalk can 

 be made to lengthen itself properly. 

 While hyacinths are in bloom it is well 

 to remove them from direct sunlight as 

 the flowers will last much longer in a 

 cooler temperature. In conclusion, I 

 might add that the bulb reports for this 

 season are not at all promising, especial- 

 ly from Dutch and French growers. 



Dutch growers will consider them- 

 selves quite fortunate if their yield 

 amounts to half their production of 

 former years, the larger sized bulbs will, 

 no doubt, advance considerable before 

 the season closes. 



DoRLAND Collier 



319 



