FOLYJXTHUS KARCISS. 39 



fihre refuse, or with coal aslies, or witli sand. TO tliey are 

 to Ix' forced, you will lie cmnjielled to take them ont in 

 time to he in llower when wanted, hut if they are t<.i ]je 

 llciwered in a cool conservatory in their own time, you must 

 see that they do not make any great amount of top growth 

 in the plunge bed. As soon as any begin to peep through, 

 remove the material with whicli they are C(ivered, and 

 put them into a frame or very cool house. If in a frame, 

 shade with mats or canvas for a few days ; if iu a house, 

 put them on the floor. The object in exposing them to 

 a very subdued light is to assist the healthy colouring of 

 the l)lanched ]iortious without undue haste ; but as the 

 plants acquire a healthy green colour the shading must be 

 removed, and they must be placed near the glass. 



It now rests with the culti\'ator, to a great extent, to 

 have a succession of flowers, or to have all in flower at 

 once, or nearly so. When we talk of forcing, we usually 

 make a distinction between that vmA. fonoardiiig, fir all 

 culture of hardy plants under glass consists in forwarding, 

 even when no heat is employed. It should be understood, 

 then, to prevent disajipointinent, that the tazettas and 

 jonquils bloom in the most satisfactory manner when they 

 are simply forwarded, and not forced. In fact, the Paper 

 White NareisH and the lioiiuin Narciss are the only two 

 kinds that force well, no matter how skilful the treatment 

 may be ; but all the kinds, including the hardiest of the 

 trumpets and incomparables, may lie forwarded in what 

 may be called a " comfortable " temperature, without the 

 heat of the stove or forcing-pit. Keep them safe from 

 frost, give them water liberally, keep them near the glass, 

 and they will give you less trouble to flower them well 

 than would a pot of chickweed or pimpernel; and even 



