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THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
BULBOUS BLOWEES EOE SPETNG DECOEATIOX. 
BT EOBEET OUBEIDGE, 
Church Walk Nursery, Stoke Newington. 
HE most useful bulbous flowers for the decoration of the 
conservatory and sitting-room during the spring months, 
are unquestionably hyacinths, tulips, and narcissus. 
There are a number of other things worth growing, but 
they are only suitable for those who have plenty of 
money and an abundance of room in which to grow them. There 
is certainly no other class of flowers capable of producing so good 
a display during the season referred to as those mentioned above ; 
and as regards their relative merits, they may be taken in the 
order in which they are placed. As a considerable number of the 
readers of the Eloeal Woeld are aware, hyacinths are grown here 
in immense numbers for Covent Garden, and it appears to me that 
the amateur should proceed in much the same manner as we do, and 
grow the best of those obtainahle at a cheap rate. It should be 
understood that some of the hyacinths obtainable at, or about, six 
shillings, are unsurpassed in their shade of colour, and for ordi- 
nary decorations it is quite unnecessary to give more for bulbs of 
the best quality. Moreover, I should not advise the cultivation of 
more than half-a-dozen varieties of each colour in each of the single 
and double sections, for that number will comprise all the best 
obtainable at the above-mentioned price, and between thirty and 
forty varieties will be represented. This number will be quite 
sufficient when they are required for home decoration. I have 
directed especial attention to this point, because so many amateurs 
believe that the merit of each variety is represented by its money- 
value, whereas a large number of those procurable at sixpence are 
considerably better than others of a similar colour costing treble 
the amount ; and my only object in writing this is to show the 
amateur the way to produce the finest display with the smallest out- 
lay of money, and the least amount of trouble possible. 
The cultivation of the three classes of bulbs included in these 
remarks is so similar, that they can all be included in the same 
general directions. 
With regard to the purchase of the bulbs, it must be understood 
that hard, sound, well-ripened bulbs are essential to the production 
of fine spikes of bloom, which cannot be had from those that are 
soft and spongy, even if they happen to be large in size. 
To ensure large, well-developed spikes or blooms, as the case may 
be, the growth must be prolonged over as long a season as possible, 
and consequently early potting must be practised. Pot the bulbs 
early in October, especially if they are wanted for very early flower- 
ing, and have to be forced. This will give them plenty of time to 
form roots and become well established. When this is accomplished 
before they are placed in the warmth, there will be little danger of 
