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 shallow pans and flats. Materials to use for drain- 
age 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 purpose, for it is thought b} T seme 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, of course, can 
raise bulbs successfully without using charcoal at all. 1 he soil 
goes next after this layer. Now comes another point to calcu- 
late, and that is the amount of soil necessary before putting in 
the bulbs. Find it out thus: Hold the bulb to be used down into 
the pot so it is in the place it ought to be. Hyacinths should be 
potted so that their noses (the pointed end of the bulb is called 
the nose) are one-half inch below the surface of the soil; tulips, 
one-quarter inch below the surface; and the narcissus group 
above the soil. The upper surface of soil in a pot should be one 
inch below the edge of the pot. This space allow'ed is for water- 
ing, so that soil wdll not flood over the edge of the pot v'hen 
water is put on. After this, put a little sand over the soil, a 
layer not more than an eighth of an inch thick. This sand bed 
acts as a drainage area, allowing water to trickle down and away 
from the bulb. Now place the bulbs in their sand beds. Leave 
just space enough between the bulbs so that no two touch. 
Neither should they touch the sides of the pot. Cover with soil, 
pressing it down firmly about the bulbs. Now' they are ready for 
the season of rest. 
Resting Period. — All potted bulbs should be placed in a dark, 
cold place for six to ten weeks. Roman hyacinths may be brought 
in after a month’s rest. The object of this resting period is to 
give time for the roots to develop slowly and surely before the 
plants are brought into the light. For as soon as this time comes, 
a bulb expends all its energy in forcing the flowers and leaves so 
