286 THE CULTURE OF FLOWERING BULBS 



them put out of doors in the burning sun to perish, or to be spoiled 

 beyond recovery. A long and decided season of rest is needed 

 certainly, but it should be in a cool, moist atmosphere, and the roots 

 should never be quite dry. It is better to keep them in a greenhouse 

 or pit in the resting season, because they are not then so likely to be 

 forgotten as when put out in the open air. Pot them in August, in a 

 compost consisting of mellow turfy loam three parts, leaf-mould one 

 part, and silver sand one part. The corm should be placed deep 

 enough in the pot to bring the crown about level with the rim. 

 Specimens that show a great quantity of flower-buds should be 

 assisted with weak liquid manure, and once a week, until they have 

 done flowering, should be stood in a vessel of water half the depth of 

 the pots for half an hour. 



C. coum and C. europium are rarely well grown, for although 

 quite hardy, the climate of this country does not suit them in their 

 season of flowering, which is the early spring. The cool greenhouse 

 is the safest place for them, except in sheltered spots, where they 

 may be planted out on a border of peat, or amongst ferns in a 

 rockery. When grown in pots, light turfy loam and peat in equal 

 quantities, with a fourth part of cow-manure, and a liberal addition 

 of sand, will form an excellent compost for them. The pots should 

 never be exposed to the drying action of the sun or wind, but 

 should be plunged to the rim in coal ashes or cocoa-nut fibre. The 

 best time for potting or planting them is September or October. 



Instructions on raising Cyclamen from seed will be found at 

 page 232. 



DAFFODILS. (&' NARCISSUS, page 303.) 



DOG'S-TOOTH VIOLET 



THE red and white varieties are as hardy as any plant in our gardens, 

 and by their neat habit and elegant leaves and flowers they are 

 admirably adapted to plant in quantities in the front of a rockery, 

 either in peat or sandy loam and leaf-mould. They are equally 

 suitable for edging small beds in gardens where spring flowers are 

 systematically grown ; in fact, they are true ' spring bedders.' Plant 

 in autumn. They are also worth growing in pots, especially where an 

 unheated 'Alpine house' is kept for plants of this class. Several 

 bulbs may be put in a 48-size pot. 



