346 



MANUAL OF GARDENING 



they should be placed in a cool place, either in a cold pit or 

 cellar, or on the shady side of a building, or, better yet, plunged 

 or buried up to the rim of the pot in a shady border. This is 

 done to force the roots to grow while the top stands still, as 

 only the bulbs with good roots will give good flowers. When 

 the weather gets so cold that a crust is frozen on the soil, the 

 pots should be covered with a little straw, and as the weather 

 gets colder more straw must be used. In six to eight weeks 

 after planting the bulbs, they should have made roots enough 

 to grow the plant, and they may be taken up and placed in a 

 cool room for a week or so, after which, if they have started 

 into growth, they may be taken into a warmer room where they 

 can have plenty of light. They will grow very rapidly now and 

 will want much water, and after the flowers begin to show, the 

 pots may stand in a saucer of water all the time. When just 

 coming into bloom the plants may have full sunlight part of 

 the time to help bring out the color of the flowers. 



Hyacinths, tulips, and narcissus all require similar treatment. 

 When well rooted, which will be in six or eight weeks, they are 

 brought out and given a temperature of some 55° to 60° till 

 the flowers appear, when they should be kept in a cooler tem- 

 perature, say 50°. The single Roman hyacinth is an excellent 

 house plant. The flowers are small, but they are graceful and 

 are well adapted to cutting. It is early. 



The Easter lily is managed the same way, except to hasten 

 its flowers it should be kept at not lower than 60° at night. 

 Warmer will be better. Lily bulbs may be covered an inch or 

 more deep in the pots. 



Freesias may be potted six or more in a pot of mellow soil, 

 and then started into growth at once. At first they may be 

 given a night temperature of 50° ; and 55° to 60° when they have 

 begun to grow. 



Small bulbs, as snowdrop and crocus, are planted several 

 or a dozen in a pot and buried, or treated Hke hyacinths; but 



