>58 ' NATURE STUDY REVIEW [8:7— Oct., 1912 



protected from mice and are watered at infrequent 

 intervals ; but the best place is a trench outdoors. 

 This should be 1 foot deep and should have 3 inches 

 of ashes in the bottom to keep out worms. Pots 

 placed here should be covered and packed with soil, 

 although they may have straw over their tops to 

 prevent the dirt from filling them up. Straw should 

 be put over the trench in order that the ground 

 may not be frozen solidly when the time comes to 

 remove the pots. In from six to eight weeks, accord- 

 ing to the kind of bulbs, the pots may be removed 

 and brought into a cool place in the house. When 

 they are accustomed, to this they may be placed in 

 a warmer temperature. Forty degrees is best for 

 root-growth, 50° for shoots and 60° for flowers. 

 Forcing is done with a higher temperature. By 

 bringing bulbs into the house at different times a 

 succession of flowers may be obtained. Freesias 

 should be kept in the light from the first and hya- 

 cinths must have dark paper cones placed over them 

 to induce leaf growth. Hyacinths should not be 

 forced before February, 

 d. After-treatment — the bulbs should be kept in the 

 sun and watered until the leaves die down. Then 

 they should be treated in the same way as garden 

 bulbs. Forced bulbs seldom produce flowers the sec- 

 ond year, but if planted for a year or two in a gar- 

 den may be again brought into the house. 

 2. Water— for this kind of culture special vases are used 

 which allow the bulb to remain for the most part in 

 the air. Only the crown touches the water, which 

 should contain charcoal in order to keep it pure. In 

 the case of Chinese lilies (a kind of narcissus), the 

 bulbs are grouped in a dish and are propped up with 

 pebbles. F'aper-white narcissus and Soleil d' Or may 

 be used in the same way. The Chinese lilies may be 

 kept in the light from the first, but other bulbs should 

 be put in a cool dark place until their roots are long 

 enough to touch the bottom of the glass. Then they 

 should be brought gradually into bright light and treat- 

 ed like potted bulbs. The supply of water should be 

 removed from time to time. 

 V. Cost of bulbs, bowls, etc. — for this consult a bulb catalog on 

 the small table in the botany laboratory. 



