98 EVERT WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 



If the beds in which the Hyacinths and other bulbs have flowered are 

 needed before the roots have fully matured, they can be taken up and 

 laid in ridges, covering the roots with sandy earth, but leaving the stems 

 and leaves fully exposed ta the air ; they will soon decay, and the bulbs 

 will swell to full maturity. If the ground is not required for other 

 plants, the beds can remain for two or three years undisturbed, but 

 larger flowers are produced by yearly transplantings. The seed-pods 

 should be broken off before they have had time to develop, as ripening 

 the seed would tend to exhaust the strength of the bulb, but the leaves 

 are needful to prepare the pulp for maturing the bulb for another sea- 

 son ; therefore they must not be cut off until they are wholly dried up. 

 When quite dry, separate the offsets, and place by themselves in paper 

 bags or boxes, and keep in a dark, dry closet, until time to replant them. 

 Their roots will strike through a mellow soil, from ten to even twelve 

 inches ; therefore to raise the finest blossoms, the soil should be removed 

 at least one foot in depth, and the earth well broken up ; then spreac 

 over it a layer of three or four inches of leaf mould, well mixed witl 

 sand, and fill up with a compost of one-third well- rotted cow manure 

 and two-thirds sandy loam, well mingled, If the soil under the pine 

 trees of the woods can be obtained, you will make your bulbs blossom 

 in perfection ; it is a dark, sandy loam, excellently fitted for flowering 

 all bulbs. Scouring sand, which can be found in nearly every kitchen 

 is very useful in planting bulbs ; put a table-spoonful into each hole, anc 

 set the bulb upon it. Plant in concentric circles, straight rows, or clusters 

 and cover the largest sized bulbs, at least three to four inches. A libera 

 top dressing of sand will draw the sun's rays early in the season. As soon 

 as the ground freezes hard, cover the beds with four or five inches of straw 

 leaves, or coarse stable litter; but don't cover them too early, else the 

 ground mouse may burrow in the warm bed, and feed upon your bulbs 



As soon as the green sheathed leaves appear, remove part of the cover- 

 ing, and press the earth tightly around the bulbs, else they will crack 

 the earth, and let the chilling winds into the roots. In ten days or a 

 fortnight, if the weather is warm, remove all the coverings. 



The florists' catalogues are issued every autumn, and offer us a large 

 variety of roots with high-sounding names. In the selection of bulbs 

 choose those that are compact, solid, and firm at the base of the root 



The double varieties are usually the most desirable for out-door cul- 

 ture, and they will often cover at least half of the stem with lovely bells, 



