SEPTEMBER 181 



drainage at the bottom of the pot, and they de- 

 mand a plentiful and regular supply of water. 



Snowdrops should have cold-frame treatment, 

 if weather permits, till they are at the point of 

 flowering. They do not appreciate the comforts 

 of a warm greenhouse. Triteleia uniflora is a 

 pretty little thing for pot culture, but where space 

 is limited is not striking enough to take up room 

 that would be given to more showy things. The 

 white allium is always useful for cutting, and does 

 well in pots, as do also the muscaris. There are 

 many other bulbous plants which are valuable 

 for winter culture, but at the same time not so 

 valuable as to be actually essential. 



And now as to the proper use of all these 

 bulbous things when they come to a flowering 

 stage. My fixed idea as regards flowers in general 

 is that one wants them to live with ; flowers that 

 are in the greenhouse when I am in the drawing- 

 room are of no use to me. I want them dozens 

 of them, hundreds of them in my living-rooms. 

 All through the winter I want to cram into 

 my rooms as many as they will hold, and to 

 have a few besides to send away to flower-loving 

 friends. The best way to have them is perhaps 

 in their pots as they are grown, provided that the 

 pots are well filled and that all the flowers bloom 

 simultaneously. But this is rarely the case, and, 

 besides, most of my bulbs are grown in rough 

 boxes in large quantities. There may be a dozen 

 Roman hyacinths just coming to perfection, and 

 twice as many hardly showing colour. With a tiny 

 prong we dig up those that are just coming to full 



