ON HYACINTHS 213 



the plunging the reverse holds good, and the plants 

 do not thrive so well. There is one slight danger in 

 plunging, and that is that the plants may be forgotten, 

 but this presupposes a ''slackness" on the part of the 

 grower that he is hardly likely to be guilty of. It can 

 be guarded against by making the entry " Examine 

 bulbs" in the pocket diary on a date six weeks later 

 than that of potting. If at the end of the six weeks 

 top growth has pushed about half an inch, and the 

 roots have got well down the pot (this can be ascer- 

 tained without causing any injury by inverting the pot 

 with the ringers spread across the soil, tapping the rim 

 on a bench, and lifting the pot right off), the plants 

 should be withdrawn, if not, they may have another 

 week or two. 



The interval may be shorter in the case of White 

 Roman Hyacinths, which grow quicker than the others. 

 Bulbs of this variety can often be bought as early as 

 July, and certainly in August. Many people like to pot 

 them in batches from August to October inclusive, in 

 order to get a succession of bloom. Three bulbs may 

 go in a forty-eight pot. 



When Hyacinths of whatever variety are withdrawn 

 from the plunging material, the proper course is to 

 put them in a heated but not very hot greenhouse, give 

 free exposure to light, ventilate in fine weather, and 

 water as often as the pots ring sharply under the 

 knuckles. Later on the spike will want tying to a 

 flower stake. From the time that the colour is seen 

 in the truss, which will push up before the leaves have 

 become very far advanced, liquid manure may be given 

 twice a week. It may consist of any of the patent 

 fertilisers sold in small tins by florists, or of home 

 preparations. If the plants are flowering in spring and 



