Window Gardening . 
41 
Having put in the bulbs, they must next be shut 
up in a perfectly cool dark place. A shelf in some 
cupboard does very well, but there must not be 
any light, even through a keyhole. The place 
where my bulbs grow best is in a perfectly dark 
sort of wood or broom-closet, underneath some 
stairs, and last autumn I filled it perfectly cramful. 
Keeping these things dark, they begin to grow 
downwards properly, and have beautiful long roots 
before they begin to shoot up. 
That is the grand test of successful bulb-grow- 
ing ! If when you take out your dishes in six 
weeks they are all full of roots, you have every 
reason to be extremely pleased. 
You must not water your dishes while they are 
in the cellar, or, if you do, it must be very little. 
The glass pans are sure not to require it if you 
moistened some sand at first as I told you — but 
the common red flower-pots may, about twice in 
the second three weeks, stand for a short time in 
a saucer half full of water. In this way, you see, 
the roots will suck up some moisture without the 
bulbs being wet. 
If you keep them long in the cellar you may go 
on watering in this way about once in ten days 
or so. 
