HOUSE, AEEA, AND WINDOW GARDENING. 



287 



shows how this may he done with a large group. 

 Smaller groups are, however, more manageable, and 

 more easily moved. Many kinds of Ferns will stand 

 being located in a sitting-room for five or six hours 

 daily, if they are permitted to pass the rest of the 

 twenty-four hours in a proper Fernery. 



Bulbs. — The flowers of bulbs generally are so 



having been put into the pot, and a little moss 

 laid over it, the pot is to be filled three-fourths fuU 

 of the compost mentioned, which should be pressec" 

 gently down but not made hard. Over this should 

 be placed a layer of silver sand half an inch thick, 

 on which the bulb or bulbs should be arranged „ 

 after this the pot is to be filled up with the soil, 

 some bulbs being completely covered, while ctfc»-T* 



Large Group of Feess. 



beautiful, and the perfumes of many of them are so 

 delicious, that it is worth while to practise the best 

 modes of cultivating them within our means and 

 opportunities. 



The soil which will be found most useful consists 

 of six parts of old fibrous turfy loam, one part of 

 well- decomposed manure, and one part of rotted leaf- 

 mould ; to this must be added a little sharp silver 

 sand, more or less, according to the requirements of 

 different plants. 



The pots for bulbs should be five inches across and 

 six inches deep. This size will hold one large bulb, 

 or fi'om three to six smaller bulbs. Good drainage 



require the point or neck of the bulb to be left 

 exposed. The most successful growers then place 

 the pots upon some hard dry pathway or yard, and 

 bury them in ashes, where they are kept for six 

 to eight weeks, the ashes being ten or twelve inches 

 over the pots. This treatment appears to check 

 stem-growth, and to encourage root-growth. It 

 also keeps the soil uniformly moist, and at a imiform 

 temperature. 



Many room-gardeners may not be able to adopt 

 this plan; it therefore becomes needful to do the 

 next best thing, and that is to stand the potb in 

 a dark cellar for a similar length of time ; when the 



