WINTER BLOOM. 71 



and wide, several may be brought together say three of 

 different colors. The single-flowered varieties are, in 

 some respects, better than the double. For the soil, 

 take a sandy loam, with one-third of well-rotted manure. 

 For a succession of flowers through the winter, do the 

 potting with intervals f a week or two, or pot all the 

 bulbs at once and bring them to the light at different 

 times. Set the bulb so as to leave about half of it above 

 the soil when pressed down, and nearly an inch between 

 the surface of the soil and the rim of the pot. After satu- 

 rating thoroughly with water, take the pots to a dark 

 cellar, or cover them out-doors with anything which will, 

 without injuring the buds, effectually exclude light and 

 heat this being the condition necessary for the process 

 of rooting. If the roots are found in the bottom of the 

 pots at the end of six or eight weeks the time ordi- 

 narily required the plants are ready to grow upward 

 and may be taken at once to the light. Another month 

 will probably suffice for the appearance of the flowers. 

 As the growth advances, water freely, but not to the 

 extent of soaking. When the flowers fade, cut away the 

 stalks, but let the leaves grow until they turn yellow, 

 when you may allow the bulbs gradually to become 

 entirely dry. Another season they may be forced into 

 bloom the same way, but with less satisfactory results, 

 and they may better be used in the outside garden. 



When two or more bulbs are to be flowered in the same 

 pot, it is important that they come into bloom together. 

 To make sure of this, all the bulbs that are to be used in 

 this manner are sometimes set out in a box of sandy 

 earth, and this box kept in the dark and treated just as 

 directed for pots containing a single bulb. When the 

 bulbs have formed abundant roots, those may be selected 

 that are equally advanced as to bud, and carefully potted. 



Their cultivation in glasses is not to be commended, 

 for the bulbs become quite worthless afterward, and the 



