243 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January J6. 
surface, and have it covered with concrete or clay, as 
above; and no matter what the length of the slope is. 
Some of the very strong climbers, in a good border at 
bottom, would cover it in time. Another way has 
occurred to me, but I never tried it; the former, or two- 
sided bank, might be made without meeting the sides in 
a ridge at the top, but stopping short when they came to 
within eighteen inches of each other, to form a hollow 
border there, and to plant a line of half standard roses 
along the top ; so that one might have a whole mountain 
of roses in little compass. I shall furnish a list of best 
climbers for these walks in my next. D. Beaton. 
GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW 
GARDENING. 
Having last week alluded to some of the principal 
I considerations to be kept in view for keeping plants 
healthy in dwelling rooms, I shall now specify a few which 
will best reward, and which most demand attention at 
this season, placing them into groups, though without 
any great degree of particularity, so that those who have 
several windows may have something different in each, 
while those whose space is more limited may choose for 
| themselves. 
1st. There is the bulbous group, foremost in which 
stand the hyacinths , both for beauty and fragrance. Some 
first-rate kinds have been named at different periods, and 
those who are particular with regard to scarcity and 
novelty must pay for them; but fine flowering bulbs may 
be procured at a cheap rate. The distinction in most 
catalogues as to bulbs that will flower best in glasses and 
in earth, is one of those wonderful trade secrets that 
growers need not trouble themselves about; as, if they 
obtain good bulbs, they will bloom well in either water 
or earth, though those grown in the former will require 
j more care, when they have done flowering, to get any 
good from them afterwards. Under proper treatment, 
the strength of the flower-stalk will chiefly depend upon 
the quantity of organic matter stored up in the bulb. 
Hence inattention to the foliage of bulbs after they are 
j forced, is the chief reason why they do no good after¬ 
wards ; and hence, too, the reason why the finer and 
5 plumper, with stored up matter, the bulbs are, the better 
! will they bloom in small pots and glasses. The secret of 
i success consists not in this or that compost—this or that 
j number of grains of stimulating, enriching material in 
the water, though these have their importance— but in 
j having the roots in advance of the flower-stein and leaves. 
i Thus, other things being equal, the sooner that bulbs, 
intended for forcing or merely growing in the green¬ 
house or window in winter and spring, are potted in the 
autumn, and slightly covered and plunged, the better 
they will succeed. The heat in the ground is upon an 
average, higher than the atmospheric, and thus roots 
are formed plentifully before there is much expansion of 
leaves; so that there is no want of nourishment for the 
flower-stem and leaves when free growth takes place. 
Hence those who did not pot early, and yet want early 
■ bloom, may obtain their wish by forming a slight hot¬ 
bed out of doors, plunging their bulbs in pots in it, and 
covering them merely as much as will exclude frost. 
Any light soil, such as sandy loam and leaf-mould, will 
grow them admirably, if supplied at times with weak 
| manure water. A ■'!!- or a 4-inch pot is quite large enough; 
j and if to be flowered in the pot, most of the bulb should 
bo covered, to prevent the perspiration of its juices. 
The same rule applies to those grown in glasses; though 
I never saw any advantage in so growing them, beyond 
getting rid of saucers for pots, and enabling the little 
j ones, who cannot be gardeners too soon, to learn all 
about roots and their properties. It is a general pro¬ 
perty of roots to court darkness, and shun light. The 
other week I noticed a great many hyacinths and other 
bulbs in rows, in glasses, in windows, just beginning to 
grow, while several were rotting and moulding at then- 
base. This casualty might have been prevented by not 
allowing the water to touch either the bulb or the roots, : 
until the latter were one-third of an inch in length. 
A quicker return, if not a much more luxuriant ap¬ 
pearance, would also have been effected, by keeping the 
glasses at least in the dark until the roots were plentifully , 
produced. A little extra attention would also be re- , 
warded ; such as keeping the bulb free of the water, | 
using the water in a warm state, say from 60° to 80°, 
stuffing round the bulb some cotton wadding or green 
moss—the latter, if fine, need not be removed—and wrap- [ 
ping the glasses in cotton wadding, or any non-conduct- 
ing substance. Treated in this manner (except that when ! 
roots are produced, the water must not be above 00°), 
and then taken to the window, they will frequently beat 
those set in a window at flrst, by a fortnight or three 
weeks. The water, upon an average, should be changed i| 
twice a week; and a little broken charcoal put in each j 
time will be an advantage. Where there is the advan¬ 
tage of a hotbed, many bulbs from the first potting in 
October- will now be in bloom. Where successions are 
wanted for glasses, they should always be grown in pots; 
and they may easily be removed at any stage, even when 
in bloom. All that is necessary, is, to turn the plant out of 
the pot, place the ball iu a pail of water slightly warmed, 
gently squeeze it with the hands, when all the earth will 
fall away without hurting a fibre; and, with a little care, 
the bulb will be as safely dropped into the glass. Glasses 
have been made of various colours, and, of late years, are , 
much improved in shape ; while they can be obtained of 
all sizes to suit narcissus, tulips, as well as even crocuses 
and snowdrops; and yet, pretty as they are, it requires 
no spirit of prophecy to foretel that all such stilted con¬ 
trivances will be banished for neat vases and baskets of 
tin, iron, porcelain, china,—and why not of glass? the 
plants being grown in small pots, and plunged either 
with or without then pots in moss, the surface-cover¬ 
ing being as green and interesting as possible. The 
whole, or a part, may be replenished at pleasure, as 
whenever one plant begins to decay another will be sub 
stituted in its place, while a great amount of labour will 
be saved. Those who once try the method will never ! 
again resort to glasses, except from necessity; the 
groups will be so engaging, whether consisting of one or 
several families. 
The same remarks apply to the other members of the 
bulbous group. The Narcissus merely requires pots 
an inch or two larger; and the following aro the most 
beautiful and best for early flowering— Grand monarch, | 
State's-gcneral, Soleil d’or, Double Roman, and Paper- ; 
white. Of early Tulips, I may mention the single and 
double Van Thai, Tournesol, Double-yellow, Marriage de 
ma fille, Rex ruborum, Royal standard, &c., &c. These 
may be planted three or four in five or six-inch pots, if J 
to be bloomed in them; but four-inch pots, if to be | 
plunged into vases, as it is advisable to have them in as 
little room as possible. Jonquils, single and double, 
may be treated in a similar manner. Crocuses, all the 
colours; and Snowdrops, single and double, may be j 
grown by themselves, or as an edging for higher growing { 
bulbs in vases. For the latter purpose, half a ddzen 
bulbs may be grown in four-inch pots. These latter do 
not force well. In fact where there are plenty of them, it 
is best to lift them out of the ground carefully, as growth ; 
has commenced. 
There are a few other hardy little bulbs which, if so 
treated, would be very ornamental to our windows in | 
winter and spring; a few of which may be mentioned: 1 
Red— Erytlironium dens canis rubrum, Corydalis bulbosa, 
lonyiflora, Scilla bifolia rubra. White— Erytlironium dens I 
canis albidum, Scilla bifolia alba, Ornithogalum fimbria- j 
