BARR & SONS, 11, 12 & 13 King Street, Covent Garden, London. 
3 
CULTURE OF BULBS IN POTS OR BOXES— coiiti/iued. 
often very poisonous), tlie top of the pots being 2 inches below the 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 boxes remain buried in this way they will require no watering. 
The pots or boxes should remain plunged for about twelve weeks (Roman and Italian 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 may, 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, Calochorti, 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-Flowerine Bulbs in Vases and Bowls. 
Such as Hyacinths, Tulips, DafTodils, Crocuses, Scillas, Chlonodoxas, Snowdrops, etc., 
In Barr’s New Peat-Fibre, Shell and Charcoal Mixture. 
A charming effect can be obtained by growing S|)ring-llowering bulbs in fancy vases and bowls, with 
or without drainage, by simply using our specially prepared Peat-Fibre, Shell and Charcoal Mixture 
(3r. 6 d. per bushel, js. 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 prefer- 
able to soil for growing bulbs in fancy bowls and vases. 
Culture. — Fill the vase or bowl with the Peat-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 should be shaken 
down into plaee 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 : — 
(a) The bowls or vases may be plunged outdoors on a 
bed of cocoa fibre or gravel, and covered entirely with cocoa 
fibre, leaving them thus for 8 to 12 weeks (Early Roman and 
Italian Hyacinths rather less), when the bulbs will have made 
good fibrous roots. 
(b) Or the bowls may be plunged for a similar period in a 
cold frame, airy cellar, or out-house instead of outdoors ; with 
this treatment, however, it will be necessary to occasionally 
give water. 
(r) A third plan is to place the bowls after potting in a 
dark or moderately dark ai>y room, cool but not too cold ; 
they must not be placed in a close cupboard or the bulbs 
will certainly suffer ; treated thus they will also require a 
little water occasionally. 
In the case of bowls plunged outdoors there will be no 
need to give any attention in the way of watering, as they 
will reserve sufficient moisture from the autumn rains. Where, 
however, the bulbs are not exposed to rain, the bowls should 
be examined once or twice a week, care being taken that the 
fibre mixture is kept uniformly damp ; but for the first week or 
two after planting water should be given very sparingly, sufficient only to encourage root action. As soon 
as the bulbs 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, even for a day, the flower buds 
will go blind ; should by any chance too mucli water have been given the bowls may be drained by 
carefully lipping them on their side. If obtainable, r.ain 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, 
as it is 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 day and 50° to 55° by night 
is sufficient to obtain good blooms ; the bulbs resent too warm a temperature. 
NARCISSUS POETAZ ELVIRA 
growing in Ban^s Peat-Fibre Mixture 
in a bowi zvit/ioui drainage hole. 
