BARR & SONS, 11, 12 & 13 King Street, Covent Garden, London. 
3 
CULTURE OF BULBS IN POTS OR BOXES— 
of the pots being 2 inches lielovv tlie surface of the covering material. This will secure a natural and 
moist condition to the bulbs and encourage root action. So long as the pots or bo.'tes remain buried in 
this way they will require no watering. 
The pots or boxes should remain plunged for about twelve weeks (Roman Hyacinths rather less), 
in order that the bulbs may get well rooted, after which portions may be removed indoors in succession,, 
selecting first those which bloom naturally early. Place first in a cold frame, cool greenhouse, or cold 
sitting-room ^ free from draughts, and keep partially shaded for a few days, giving water gradually. 
Very weak liquid manure-water may then be given once a week until they come into flower. Those that 
are wanted in bloom early m.ay, after the flower buds are advanced, be placed in a warmer temperature, 
such as a slow forcing-house, but this should never exceed 65° if fine blooms are desired.' The plants 
should always be kept as near to the glass as possible and not allowed to get drawn, from an insufficient 
supply of light or air. On no account should bottom heat be given. A frequent mistake made in forcing 
bulbs is that they are removed from the plunging-bed too early, before they have made a sufficient quantity 
of fibrous roots ; they are then at once subjected to heat, and failure is the result. It is a good plan, 
when bulbs are removed from the plunging-bed, to place an inverted flower-pot over them for a day or 
two to prevent any check from draughts to the young top growths. 
Pot-Culture of Early Gladioli, Ixias, Sparaxis, Tritonias, Babianas, Calockorti, etc. 
These bulbs start early into growth and therefore should not be potted up before the end of October 
to November. The pots should be plunged up to the rim only (not covered) in a cold frame, and pro- 
tected with mats during severe frosty weather. There they should remain for about three months, after 
which the treatment is similar to that for Spring-flowering bulbs. 
Culture oT Spring^-Flowerinfif Bulbs in Vases and Bowls. 
Such as Hyacinths, Tulips, Daffodils, Crocuses, Sclllas, Chlonodoxas, Snowdrops, etc., 
in Bapp’s Special Flbpe Mixtupe. 
A charming effect can be obtained by growing spring- flowering bulbs in fancy vases and bowls, with 
or without drainage, by simply using our specially prepared Fertilised Fibre, Shell and Charcoal Mixture 
(3J. 6d. per bushel, is. per peck) ; the mixture is light, clean, and nice to handle, and remains sweet 
(an important matter where the vases used have no drainage holes) ; indeed, it is in every way pre- 
ferable to soil for growing bulbs in fancy bowls and vases. 
Culture. — Fill the vase or bowl with the Fibre, Shell 
and Charcoal Mixture up to within a little below the rim, 
and plant the bulbs in the .same manner as with ordinary 
potting soil, just covering them ; the mixture may be shaken 
down into place after planting and lightly watered, but .should 
not be pre.ssed down tightly, or the bulbs will be forced 
upwards when root growth commences. 
After planting, either of the following plans may be 
adopted : — 
(n) The bowls or vases may be plunged out<loors on a 
bed of cocoa fibre or ashes, and covered entirely with cocoa 
fibre, leaving them thus for 8 to 12 weeks, when the bulbs 
will have made good fibrous roots. 
[b] Or the bowls may be jrliinged in a cold' frame, airy 
cellar, or out-house instead of outdoors ; with this treatment, 
however, it will be necessary to occasionally give water. 
(f) A third plan is to |ilace the bowls after potting in a 
dark or moderately dark airy place, cool but not too cold ; 
they must not be placed in .a close cupboaril or the- bulbs 
will certainly suffer ; treated thus they will also rerjuire a 
little water occa.sionally. 
In the case of bowls plunged outdoors there will be no 
need to give any attention in the way of w.itering, as they 
will, of course, have abundance of moisture from the autumn 
rains. Where, however, the bulbs are not exposed to the 
NARCISSUS poETAz ELVIRA rain, the bowls should be examined once or twice a w'eek, 
growing in Barr's Ferliltscci Fibre in a bowl care being taken that the fibre mixture is kept uniformly 
without dra.nage hole. j^e first week or two after planting wmt/r 
should be given very sparingly, sufficient only to keep the 
fibre (l«inip enou^li to encourage root action. As soon as the builds are well rooted, water may be given 
more freely, the fibre mixture being then kept quite moist ; if the mixture is allowed at any time to 
become dry ^ et'cn for a day^ the Jlowcr buds will go blind \ should by any chance too much water have 
been given the bowls may b.e drained by carefully tipping them on their side. If obtainable, rain water 
is the best to use. 
When the bulbs have made some top growth the bowls should be removed to the sunny window of 
a sitting room, where they will get the morning sun, or be kept in a cool greenhouse close to the glass, 
it being necessary that they should be given sufficient light and air to prevent the foliage from becoming 
drawn up. Draughts and gas heat must be carefully avoided. 
No bottom heat should be given, and a temperature of 55’ to 60^ by d.ay and 50” to 55° by night 
is sufficient to obtain good blooms ; the bulbs resent too warm a temiierature. 
