THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 



week from the time of planting to the time of 

 flowering. Soon after planting, it will be found 

 that a quantity of decaying vegetable matter 

 becomes partially detached from the basal portion 

 of the bulb, inside the circle of root-fibres ; this 

 should be carefully removed by repeated washings, 

 taking care not to injure the root-fibres, for if 

 broken, they will not be reproduced. When side- 

 shoots appear from the bulbs, they should be 

 pinched off, as they draw away the nourishment 

 from the flowers ; but where two trusses of flowers 

 appear, they should both be allowed to expand. 

 When the flowers begin to open, the hyacinths 

 should be placed on a table out of the sun's reach, 

 or otherwise protected from its rays, and in as cool 

 a situation as possible, which will prolong their 

 period of bloom. 



On the subject of the cultivation of flowers in 

 windows, we find the following useful observations 

 in the Gardeners' Chronicle : ' The three principal 

 things requiring consideration are air, light, and 

 moisture. Place them as near the glass as pos- 

 sible ; of course windows having a south aspect 

 possess the greatest advantage. 



'Judicious watering of plants in rooms is per- 

 haps the most important feature in their manage- 

 ment ; and it is unfortunately in most cases ill 

 understood, being too often given mechanically, as 

 it were at stated times, whether required by the 

 plants or not ; and by a too eager desire for their 

 welfare, they are frequently surfeited to death with 

 water, which is justly termed "killing by kindness," 

 and is practised with success, especially by ladies, 

 from a false apprehension of their wants. In 

 summer, this cannot be easily accomplished unless 

 the plants are allowed to stand in saucers con- 

 stantly filled with water, which, by overloading 

 them with juices, will soon engender sickly soft 

 growths, unsuited for the production of flowers or 

 healthy foliage. An exception to this rule is the 

 growth of annuals in pots during summer ; they, if 

 well drained, may stand in feeders ; but these, 

 whenever used, should be half-filled with fine 

 gravel or sand, which may be kept in any state of 

 moisture. The best and only general rules that 

 can be adopted are in winter, keep plants, 

 not then growing fast, rather dry ; in spring, 

 increase the quantity with their activity and the 

 sun's power, keeping them in a medium state of 

 moisture ; in summer, water daily ; and in autumn, 

 decrease with the length of day, and the returning 

 torpidity of the plants, until the dry state of winter 

 is again reached. All this resolves in the follow- 

 ing : Plants, when growing fast, may have free 

 supplies of water, which must be lessened as their 

 growth approaches maturity, and cease, or nearly 

 so, when that is attained, until the return of their 

 growing season. As regards air, similar rules to 

 those given for watering may be followed ; and 

 indeed they are analogous. In winter, when the 

 plants are not growing, large supplies of air are 

 not so important, enough being usually given by 

 the room-door. As spring advances, increase the 

 quantity, carefully guarding against the cold of 

 mornings and evenings, or cutting winds ; and if 

 the plants are placed out in the middle of fine 

 days, take care to bring them in before the chill 

 of evening comes on. After the first or second 

 week in May, they may be set outside for the 

 summer ; and towards the end of September, or 

 as soon as heavy cold rains occur, they should be 



placed again in their quarters for the winter, 

 setting them out of doors when fine, or supplying 

 them with plenty of air by the window, until the 

 cold weather and decrease of moisture at the roots 

 bring them to a state of comparative rest. It 

 should be remembered in spring and autumn that 

 the plants must not go out to-day because they 

 were placed out yesterday, but the weather alone 

 must determine ; sudden changes must at all 

 times be avoided. The leaves of plants act as 

 lungs, by which they breathe ; if they become 

 dirty, their respiration is impeded ; therefore, an 

 occasional careful sponging will be useful to them. 

 In spring and summer, allow them the full benefit 

 of genial showers, which will do them more good 

 than any artificial watering. Never use spring- 

 water if soft or rain water can be had ; and always 

 let it be about the same temperature as the air in 

 which the plants are growing. It is hardly neces- 

 sary to mention the removal of decaying leaves and 

 flowers ; the last are exhausting as well as unsightly. 



'One principal potting is usually required, and 

 afterwards as often as the plants may fill their 

 pots with roots, or seem to require it. The most 

 important thing is good soil, which, if composed 

 of three parts loam, of a fibrous open texture, with 

 a fourth of dung, most plants will thrive in, using 

 plenty of drainage to allow water to pass off 

 readily. Never suffer the surface-soil in the pots 

 to become hard or moss-grown, but let it be 

 loosened occasionally with a piece of stick. 



'Succulents are well suited for growing in 

 rooms, as they are not so impatient of either air 

 or water as most other plants ; and the abundance 

 of their beautiful flowers renders them objects of 

 interest. Cactus speciosus, Jenkinsonii, flagelli- 

 formis and speciosissimus ; mesembryanthemums, 

 and flowering aloes, deserve especial notice.' 



All that is necessary for successful indoor 

 culture is attention to the general directions given 

 above. If plants have sufficient air, light, warmth, 

 and moisture, and be potted in proper soil, nothing 

 else is needed, save a little care in keeping them 

 clean, occasionally stirring the upper portion of 

 the soil, turning them regularly to the light, 

 lopping off old wood, pruning unseemly shoots, 

 and removing decayed leaves. It may sometimes 

 happen, notwithstanding all ordinary care, that a 

 few, such as the pelargoniums, may be infested 

 with small green insects, or may otherwise take 

 disease and languish. The former are generally 

 destroyed by a sprinkling of powdered lime, a 

 dusting with pepper, or some of the insect-killing 

 powders sold in the seed-shops, the fumes from a 

 tobacco-pipe, or even, where the nature of the 

 plant will admit, by a thorough drenching with 

 pure water. 



Another direction to be borne in mind is, never 

 transfer a plant from one situation to another of a 

 widely different character without some previous 

 preparation. Vegetables no doubt possess wonder- 

 ful powers of accommodation, but there is a limit 

 to this principle ; and a plant reared in the hot- 

 house will no more endure the sudden exposure of 

 open air than the animals of India could live and 

 propagate in Iceland. Thus many of our rarest 

 exotics are permanently injured by sudden removal 

 from the stove to the open stand, or from the open 

 air and conservatory to the drawing-room. Plants 

 intended for transferences of this kind should 

 either be taken at the period of their repose, or 



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