'1'he (Janaiman Horiiculturist. 3<Si 



is yellow. The root is fibrous, not bulbous. This is called the Kail Buttercup. 

 ISotanists call it Ranunculus acris. It will grow in any dry soil, and has become 

 a troublesome weed in many meadows. The juice is so acrid that cattle do 

 not eat it. It is. nevertheless, a i)retty flower, though not desirable in the 

 flower garden, especially w^here it is abundant in the meadows. 



4jO Markliam St., Toronto. D W. F^RADLF.. 



KULB-FORCIN(i. 



HEN you pot your bulbs, water them well, then set the pots away 

 in a cool, dark place to allow roots to form. Plant a bulb in 

 spring, and roots and top make simultaneous growth, so that you 

 have weak, unsatisfactory bloom. It is the same when you plan^ 

 bulbs in pots and put them at once in a warm, light place. If 

 you want good flowers from potted bulbs you must put them away 

 in the dark for at least six weeks to form roots. The cooler the 

 place, provided they do not freeze, the better. 



When you bring bulbs to the light, do not put them in a very warm room, 

 or they will make a weak, rapid growth, and very often the buds will blast. If 

 you have a room that is proof against frost adjoining one in which fire is kept, 

 keep your bulbs there. The cooler you can keep the air of the room in which 

 your bulbs bloom, and have it above frost, the longer the flowers will last. If 

 hyacinths show a tendency to develop buds in a little bunch down among the 

 leaves, make a cap of thick brown paper, like a cone, cut off its apex and slip 

 the cone over the pot. The flower-stalk will reach up toward the light coming 

 in through the opening at the top, and in this manner you lengthen it. 



In selecting tulips for pot-culture, get single sorts. They bloom better than 

 the double ones, and are really more desirable in all ways. Among hyacinths, 

 too, the single sorts are best. The Roman varieties are favorites of mine. They 

 send up several spikes of bloom, while the ordinary varieties seldom have more 

 than one. Their flowers are arranged more loosely on the stem, and have a less 

 stiff and formal effect. They are delightfully sweet, and come in pink, pale 

 yellow, blue, and white. They are single, and excellent for cutting. Tulips, 

 hyacinths, and daffodils generally bloom in about a month after being brought 

 out into the light. By keeping the pots in the dark the time of flowering can be 

 retarded, so that one can have a succession of bloom. It is not easy to say 

 when the Harrisii lily should be brought up in order to have it in bloom at 

 Easter, because the conditions under which it is grown vary so much that advice 

 seldom hits the mark. In a warm room the flowers come on rapidly ; in a cool 

 room, slowly. From this you can get an idea that may help you in governing 

 the blooming period somewhat. If the plant seems developing too rapidly, put 

 it in a cooler place ; if too slowly, give it more warmth. — Ei;en Iv Rexford, in 

 American Gardening for September. 3 



