CULTURE OF BULBOUS ROOTS IN ROOMS. 95 



October and November, and be left in the open air until it 

 begins to freeze ; and then be jolaced in the gteen-house, or in 

 a room, exposed to the sun. They will need occasional mo- 

 derate waterings until they begin to grow ; then they should 

 have abundance of air in mild weather, and plenty of water 

 from the saucers underneath the pots, while in a growing 

 state ; and should be exposed as much as possible to the sun, 

 air, and light, to prevent the foliage from growing too long, or 

 becoming yellow. 



For this purpose, single Hyacinths, and such as are desig- 

 nated earliest among the double, are to be preferred. Sin- 

 gle Hyacinths are by some held in less esteem than double 

 ones; their colours, however, are more vivid, and their bells, 

 though smaller, are more numerous ; some of the finer sorts 

 are exquisitely beautiful ; they are preferable for flowering 

 in winter to most of the double ones, as they bloom two or 

 three weeks earlier, and are very sweet-scented. Roman 

 Narcissus, double Jonquils, Polyanthus Narcissus, double 

 Narcissus, and Crocuses, also make a fine appearance in 

 the parlour during winter. It is a remarkable circumstance 

 of the Crocus, that it keeps its petals expanded during tole- 

 rably bright candle or lamp light, in the same manner as 

 it does during the light of the sun. If the candle be removed, 

 the Crocus closes its petals, as it does in a garden when a 

 cloud obscures the sun ; and when the artificial light is 

 restored, they open again, as they do with the return of the 

 direct solar rays. 



Hyacinths and other bulbs intended for glasses should be 

 placed in them about the middle of November, the glasses 

 being previously filled with pure water, so that the bottom 

 of the bulb may just touch the water ; then place them for 

 the first ten days in a dark room, to promote the shooting of 

 the roots ; after which expose them to the light and sun as 

 much as possible ; they will blossom without the aid of the 

 sun, but the colours of the flowers will be inferior. The 

 water should be changed as often as it becomes impure ; 



