94 



THE FAEM. 



by evaporation and the absorbing power of the growing plant, there 

 will be occasion for a constant supply of water to replace what has been 

 evaporated, or consumed by the plant. 



In a short time the fibrous roots come forth and plunge into the 

 water, and at last fill the space within the glass, while the flower-stem 

 and the leaves are growing without. Various bulbs may be forced in 

 vases or glasses of the same kind, proving how the course of nature may 

 be altered in the vegetation of plants by the exercise of human inge- 

 nuity. 



One of the established laws respecting the growth of plants is, that, 

 lay the seeds, bulbs or, tubers, from which they spring, as you will (in 

 the earth or in water), the stem grows upward and the roots down- 

 ward. 



Yet by the following process, the hyacinth-bulbs can be forced to 

 grow in the contrary position ; that is, with their stems turned down- 

 ward and their roots upward, which would appear, unless explained, 

 as unnatural as it would be for a man to rest always on the crown of his 

 head with his feet directly upward. 



But the hyacinth can be brought to assume this position without dif- 

 ficulty, thus: 



Fill with good mould, a little square tin box (with a lid and hinges), 

 with a round hole in the middle, through which the stem of a bulb put 

 into the mould within the box, can come forth in the natural way, just 

 as if it were placed in a pot. 



Then lay the box upside-down, over a glass filled with water. In this 

 position now, the roots of the bulb must strike out sideways in the box 

 above, while the head of the bulb projecting downward into the water, 

 must send its stem in the same direction along the narrow glass, which 

 will not permit it to turn sideways. The bottom of the box, now up- 

 permost, has holes in it, through which water and air are supplied to 

 the roots, which extend themselves one very side. 



In the course of a few days the leaves and stem will be seen to grow 

 in the water as they would have done in the air, if their position were 

 reversed and they had not been forced to go downward. 



This is a whimsical but interesting mode of growing bulbous plants ; 

 it is really curious, however, to see leaves and natural colors of flowers 

 exactly the same in the water as they would be in the air. 



Many bulbous plants may be ranged on a chimney or on a stand, in 

 a warm room (but this ought never to be in a sleeping-room, as the 

 odors in a close apartment are very prejudicial to human health), with 

 very pleasing effect. 



Orange and violet-colored crocuses, Chinese primroses, and double 

 violets, in neat garden-pots, filled with earth, will be welcome occupants 

 of any space among other plants of more pretension, and they will 

 bloom perfectly well in an inhabited room. In short, if there be room 

 enough, many plants, but, above all, the beautifiil camellia, and even the 

 humble Chinese primrose, will be ornamental in the gloomy months of 

 early spring. 



But let not mignonette be forgotten. This may be converted into a 

 shrubby-plant by treating it in this manner : 



