POTS FOR BULBS. 



15 



while if it be sodden, the trouble, though in another direction, is 

 equally great, the bulbs decline to send their roots into a soil that 

 is sour through excessive wet. Have it in what gardeners call an 

 even condition of moisture, as not only will this be better for the bulbs, 

 but the potting will prove much easier to do. If dr}^, it must be 

 watered ; and if wet, let it be dried a little before the work is started. 



Suitable Pots, — Hand in hand with the preparation of the 

 soil runs the selecting of the pots. New ones are sometimes used for 

 the purpose, but neither for bulbs nor any other plants are they 

 good unless they have previously been thoroughly soaked, as when 

 perfectly new they quickly absorb water from the soil, and leave it 

 dry when the cultivator expects that it is pleasantly moist. When 

 old pots are employed they should be weil washed prior to use, not 

 because repotting is likely to be done, but to remove lurking insects, 

 as well as to create as good an appearance as possible. The yjrovision 

 for drainage is an important item in the preparatory operations, and 

 it must not be scanty on the one hand or over abundant on the 

 other. The ordinary system of placing one large piece of crock 

 hollow side downwards, then other smaller pieces round it, with still 

 smaller above these, and covering the whole by some of the rougher 

 portions of the compost or a layer of coarse moss, cannot be beaten 

 if it is properly carried out. The object of the upper surfacing is to 

 prevent the fine particles of soil washing down into the drainage, 

 and thus choking it to such a degree as to arrest the water in its 

 downward progress and leave the roots in soured soil, in which they 

 are apt to decay in a manner that bodes ill for the results of our bulb 

 display in the spring. 



Sizes of Pots.—Eepeated experiments have forced us to the 

 conclusion that in the majority of cases the pots employed are quite- 

 one size, and frequently two sizes, too large. For ail Hyacinths, 

 except those producing very big bulbs, like La Franchise, Grand 

 Maitre, and Grandeur a Merveille, what is known as a 54 pot, that 

 is to say a pot 4 inches in diameter at the top, is quite large enough 

 for all general purposes, and with judicious feeding spikes sufficiently 

 fine for exhibition can be secured. The use of 6-inch pots allows 

 the roots too much room at the outset, and of course the pots 

 occupy a great deal more space, which is a good enough reason for 

 their avoidance by amateurs, even if there w^ere no other. This size 

 is admirable when three bulbs of Hyacinths are put in one pot, or 

 three Narcissi, five Tulips, or five Eoman Hyacinths. (For methods 

 of potting Narcissi in threes, see Fig. 4, p. 19. The instructions 

 apply to other Narcissi and Tulips.) The objection held by many 

 people to the use of small pots is that the limited amount of soil 

 cannot possibly provide sufficient food for the plants. This is, 

 however, an easily surmounted difficulty when the highest degree of 

 activity is attained to, for then feeding with suitable foods may 

 be commenced in real earnest, and the benefit to the plants will be 

 infinitely greater than when rich food was provided at the outset. 



Potting.— Simple as this operation undoubtedly is to those of 



