142 



THE BULB HOUSE. 



formity Tvith the same rule, every flower should be cut off as soon as it 

 begins to decay, but not sooner, as an immense expenditure of sap would 

 take place by cutting the flower stalk while in full vigour. The flower 

 stalk should remain until the leaves have finally decayed and are falling 

 off. 



AMien bulbs are excited in spring, the progress of vegetation should 

 be allowed to proceed slowly and gradually, increasing the stimulus as the 

 plant proceeds and the days lengthen, for bulbs excited rapidly seldom 

 flower well, if at all, and often make such small and imperfect foliage as 

 unfits them for preparing and depositing nutriment to the bulb for the suc- 

 ceeding season. Although almost all bulbs force well if properly treated, 

 few of them will flower well if excited rapidly. 



During the growing season, they require all the hght and sunshine pos- 

 sible, ^vith a liberal supply of air and water, the latter in greater abun- 

 dance than most other plants not actually aquatics. Bulbs also differ 

 from most other greenhouse plants, in another particular, namely, that 

 they do not reqmre to be set out in the open air during summer. In- 

 deed, all the advantages of the chmate of a greenhouse or pit, is no more 

 than they require to perfect their fohage and ripen their bulbs to 

 perfection. 



SOIL. 



.^e^bave ah-eady remarked that most bulbous-rooted plants require a 

 rich, light soil. That prepared by adding to one half rich, hght, turfy 

 loam, another half completely decomposed stable yard dung, with a 

 portion of quick sand, vrill be an excellent compost for flowering strong 

 bulbs. A hghter and equally rich compost should be used for more tender 

 and dehcate bulbs ; and for the most common of all, any moderately 

 good garden soil, not peaty, will be quite sufficient. Some genera require 

 a slight difference in regard to soil, of which notice will be taken under 

 their respective heads. 



SHIFTING AND POTTING. 



A general examination of bulbous plants should take place about the 

 begmning of March, ever^^ spring, but individuals will require to be potted 

 if they have been kept out of pots during their period of rest, as well as 



