48 MORE POT-POURRI 



Mr. Eobert Sydenham, of Tenby Street, Birmingham, 

 publishes a catalogue of bulbs, in which are the clearest 

 possible instructions of how to cultivate them, both in 

 pots and in the open, with an interesting account of his 

 own first experiences. If these instructions are carefully 

 followed, I do not believe the disappointing failures, so 

 often seen when amateurs try to force bulbs, will occur. 

 He also makes it quite plain which are the bulbs that 

 should be planted in poor places and left alone, and those 

 which have to be taken up, dried, and re-planted. Tulips, 

 at least in this soil, require much better feeding than any 

 of the Narcissus tribe, and are certainly the better for 

 taking up and drying after their leaves have thoroughly 

 died down. I planted my Roman Hyacinths according 

 to Mr. Sydenham's directions early in October, and the 

 result was more satisfactory than I have ever had before, 

 and they were in full flower by Christmas. It is a very 

 pretty conceit to plant Hyacinths in shallow earthenware 

 or china pans with jaddoo, cocoanut fibre or moss, and 

 place small stones and charcoal at the bottom for the 

 roots to cling to as* they grow up. They must be 

 kept very wet. Planted in this way they look much 

 more decorative in the room than when grown in pots or 

 glasses. Any fancy or ornamental vase can be used for 

 the purpose, whether it is flat or not. Many kind hints 

 have been given me by various correspondents about the 

 growing of Hepaticas. One lady said that small beds 

 with pieces of sandstone were a great help. Another 

 writes as follows : ' I thought you might be glad of 

 certain facts about Hepaticas that have come under my 

 own observation. When a child I lived in Somersetshire, 

 where the soil was heavy clay. The most beautiful 

 show of Hepaticas I ever saw anywhere was a row in an 

 old lady's garden close under a thick hedge of Laures- 

 tinus with a due north aspect. They were single-blue 



