purpose, and should never be tightly clogged up. Place a curved 
bit of broken crock over the hole, with concave surface toward 
the hole. This covering prevents the soil from trickling through, 
or the water from passing out too fast; but it does not prevent 
the entrance of air. More air enters than if a flat piece of crock 
is placed directly across the hole. After this, put about an inch 
of drainage material in the pot, but less than this should go in 
Fig. 5.— Longitudinal section of flower pot. showing: arrangement of potting 
materials and bulbs. A, curved piece of crockery over drainage 
hole: B. charcoal: C, drainage material: D. soil: E, layer of sand: 
F. hyacinth bulbs: G. space for watering. 
shallow pans and flats. Materials to use for drainage purposes 
are crock, turf or sod, charcoal or even stone. These are spoken 
of as drainage material, because a loose area is formed through 
which water slowly trickles, and at the same time the soil is not 
clogged with too much water. Charcoal may serve a double pur- 
pose, for it is thought by some to sweeten the soil. It is perhaps 
well to use a piece of charcoal in each pot when other drainage 
material is not used. One can raise bulbs successfully, of course, 
without using charcoal at all. The soil goes next after this layer. 
j 
