36 
BARR’S GENERAL BULB CATALOGUE, Autumn, 1907. 
HEPATICA. 
Old English Flowers. 
These are charming Spring flowers, and have been favourites in English gardens from time im- 
memorial. Established on shady banks, in beds, borders, and on rockwork, they are most beautiful in 
early Spring. The Hepatica is a deep rooter and loves a deep loamy soil in somewhat shady and sheltered 
positions. Naturalised, the Hepatica looks charming. H. angulosa was awarded a First-Class Cer- 
tificate BY THE R.II.S. Plant from Aulumtt to aerly Spring. 
each — f. 
Blue Single .plants, per doz. 5/6 o 
„ „ strong clumps, 1/6 & 2 
Blue Double .plants 1 
Red Single .plants, per doz. 5/6 o 
„ „ strong clumps, 1/6 c 5 c 2 
Red Double .plants, per doz. 5/6 o 
„ „ strong clumps, 1/6 & 2 
White Single, a very beautiful variety 
plants, per doz. 5/6 O 
d 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
each — s. 
White Double. Award of Merit R.H.S. 
See Novelty List, page 6 5 
angulosa, large single rich blue flowers 
plants, per doz. 5/6 o 
„ alba, a pure white-flowered form 
of the handsome //. angulosa, a 
valuable addition to this lovely 
family 2 
d 
6 
6 
6 
HOMERIA collina. (Bobartia), a beautiful Sparaxis-like plant, producing in May a profusion of 
orange-red flowers with yellow centre, measuring 25 inches across, ht. 2 ft., cultural treatment 
same as for Ixias per 100, 5/6 ; per doz. lod. 
BARR’S CHOICE NAMED HYACINTHS. 
For Glasses, Jardinets, Bowls, Pots, and for Exhibition. 
Culture in Pots. — The soil should be a compost of good fibrous loam with a liberal addition 
of leaf-soil, sharp sand, and thorouglily well-decayed cow manure. Phytobroma (see page 92) may also 
be added at the rate of i lb. per bushel. The compost should be well mixed and left to stand some time 
before being used. New pots should be well soaked in water before use. 
In potting, barely cover the bulb, and let the soil be | in. below the rim of the pot, to allow for 
watering. After potting give one good watering and then place the pots outdoors on a bed of ashes, 
cover with six inches of cocoa fibre, and leave them exposed to all weathers. When ihe bulbs have well 
rooted^ and made about an inch of top growth, they may be removed indoors, first into a subdued light, 
until the blanched foliage has attained its full green colour, and then into the sunniest situation at command 
in the greenliouse or conservatory. It is a good plan to place an inverted flower pot over the young 
growths for a few days after being removed from the plunging bed, as by so doing they are protected 
from possible draught. Abundance of air, a moderately moist atmosphere, and plenty of water at the 
roots are then necessary for early well ’developed flower-spikes. A dry or frosty atmosphere or a draughty 
situation will cause the flower-buds to shrivel. Forcing should only be done getttly,, the temperature not 
exceeding 60 degrees. A too frequent fault made in forcing Hyacinths is that they are subjected to 
heat before the bulbs are fully rooted. 
For earliest flowers— namely, for January and February — pot middle of September and leave in the 
plunging bed 10 to 12 weeks. 
If finely developed trusses and rich colours are preferred to very early flowers, the 
Hyacinth should not be forced; pot up the bulbs middle of October and leave them plunged out of 
doors three months or more, according to season, then remove them to a mild temperature like that of a 
cool greenhouse, a sitting-room window, or frame, always selecting the sunniest and most genial situation. 
Culture in Gld.sses. — We recommend only Single Hyacinths for glasses. The most reliable 
sorts for growing in glasses we have indicated by Pure clean water (rain-water by preference) the 
same temperature as the room should be used, witli a piece or two of pure wood charcoal in it. The 
bulb can be made secure in the glass by a piece of fish netting, and its base should at all times just 
touch the water. Place the glasses in a cool dark place to encourage root growth, and keep supplied with 
water as required. When nearly full of roots (not before), and an inch or two of top growth has been 
riiacle, admit them to the light gradually, and then to the sunniest place at command where there is full 
light and an even airy temj^orature. Avoid a too dry or frosty atmosphere or a draughty situation^ as 
such conditions will often cause the flower-buds to shrivel up. A little rain-water gently sprinkled 
daily on the green flower-sj^ikes will assist in their (levelopment. Barits Fertilised Fibre^ Shell and 
Charcoal Mixture is an excellent material for growing Hyacinths in, and is clean and inoffensive to 
handle (see page 2 for directions). 
Culture in Jardinets.— For this purpose Barths Fertilised FibrCj Shell and Charcoal Mixture 
is undoubtedly the best material to use. It should be always kept moist, and when the jardinet is removed 
to the sitting-room the surface should be covered with fresh green carpet moss or mossy Saxifrage. Grown 
in jardinets, Hyacinths are charming when associated with early Spring-flowering bulbs like Chionodoxas, 
Scilla sibirica, Snowdrops, Tulips, Crocuses, Narcissi, Iris reticulata, etc. 
Mangling; Moss Balls of Hyacinths. — Very charming hanging baskets of Hyacinths 
can be made with balls of fresh Sphagnum moss, 9 inches in diameter. First make up a ball of moss about 
8 inches in diameter, into which insert the Hyacinth bulbs all round, binding them in wiili string and more 
moss so that only their points are visible. Then run a wire through by which the ball can be suspended 
in greenhouse or sitting-room window. No more attention will be required except to dip the ball in water 
about once a fortnight. Such hanging baskets can be effectively made with Named or Bedding Hyacinths, 
and also with Roman Hyacinths. The open wirework baskets which are sold can be filled in the same way. 
