931 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[OoL 



two or three years, but the Dutch gardeners have preserved 

 them for nearly a century. 



In making up their beds, the Haerlem florists choose a 

 shehered situation, exposed only to the south ; and, in the 

 formation of them, they excavate the natural soil to the depth 

 of two feet, the whole length and breadth of the bed or beds ; 

 this being removed, they then dig and finely break the mould 

 in the bottom of the bed to the depth of nine or twelve inches 

 more. This space they fill with the above compost, and some- 

 times with the following: — One-third coarse sea or river 

 sand, one-third fresh sound earth, one-fourth rotten cow- 

 dung, completely reduced to mould, and vegetable mould, 

 of decayed tree-leaves, for the remainder. They mix and 

 incorporate these ingredients, and about a fortnight before 

 the bulbs are to be planted, they fill up the bed with the com- 

 post to about four inches above the level of the natural ground, 

 on the south-side, and about ten inches above it on the north 

 side, so that the bed, when finished, will present an inclination 

 to the sun, and admit of all superfluous water passing ofl'. 



Their season of general planting is from the middle of this 

 month to the middle of the next, and is performed in the fol- 

 lowing manner : — Before planting the roots, the surface of the 

 bed is covered with a thin layer of sandy earth raked smoothly 

 over it, on which they mark out, with great regularity, the 

 exact situation of each bulb. Round, and under each root, 

 they place a little clean sand, which prevents the mould ad- 

 hering too closely to them. The whole being planted, they 

 cover the whole surface of the bed to the depth of three or 

 four inches with fine sandy mould, leaving the bed, when 

 finished, about eight inches above the ground-level in front, 

 and fourteen inches behind. In the disposal of the bulbs in 

 the bed they are at much pains, mingling the colors so that 

 they may produce an agreeable and striking contrast. 



HYACINTHS FOR FORCING. 



This is a good time to pot these bulbs for being forced 

 during the winter and early in the spring; for this purpose, 

 narrow deep pots should be procured, which should be filled 



