September 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
them all well together in sufficient quantity to fill 
your bed. Remove the old soil to the depth of 18 
inches; lay at the bottom a layer of rubble, or small 
pebbles sifted out of the sand ; cover this with some 
turf, and upon that place a thin layer of very rotten 
cow-dung, or decayed hotbed manure; then put on 
that the compost, raising it at least four inches above 
the level. The bed would have a neater appearance 
if edged with slates, or even narrow hoards. The 
bed should be in such a situation as to allow room 
for an awning of canvass being stretched over it, 
either over a frame raised high enough to allow the 
spectator to walk under the awning, or at least to 
allow hoops being bent over the bed at such distances 
from each other, and at such a height, as will keep 
the covering from touching the flowers. The soil 
should have time to settle a little previously to plant¬ 
ing. When that has taken place, proceed to plant 
the bulbs. 
Mix the colours regularly, so as to be in harmony 
with each other. The best way to plant them is, 
with a spade, to open a trench straight across the bed 
four inches deep; then lay a board to stand upon, 
and put each bulb, as you have sorted the colours, 
iuto the trench, six inches asunder. Fix them firmly 
in their several places, pressing each down a little : 
the head of each bulb should be just three inches 
below the surface. Having planted the first row, 
cover it up with the soil thrown out in opening the 
trench, and level it neatly. Then proceed to open 
the next trench eight inches from the first; plant 
the bulbs in it, and so on till all the bulbs are inserted. 
In this state let them remain till the frost of win¬ 
ter approaches. Then spread equally over the bed 
about two inches in depth of spent tanner’s bark. 
This will shelter the roots from the severity of the 
weather, and may be allowed to remain till the 
blooming season is over ; it will have the effect of 
keeping the soil moist during dry weather in spring, 
and encourage the plants to make fine foliage. This 
is a most desirable point to attain, for without a 
strong growth and fine luxuriant leaves the bulbs 
will infallibly deteriorate, become smaller, and after 
a year or two will neither grow nor flower satisfacto¬ 
rily. We have in former Numbers pressed upon our 
readers the great importance of preserving the leaves 
of all kinds of bulbs in a fresh vigorous growth till 
they naturally begin to turn yellow, fade, and die. 
If there is one kind of bulb more than another that 
requires this care, it is certainly the one now under 
consideration. 
As soon as the leaves are in this decayed state, 
take them up immediately, being very careful not to 
injure the bulbs in the least. Preserve as many of 
the roots as possible. Lay the bulbs, with the old 
leaves and roots adhering to them, in a shady place 
for a fortnight, and then remove them into the full 
sun until both roots and leaves are quite withered. 
These may then he carefully dressed off, and the 
bulbs put into drawers, or hung up in open canvass 
bags. Whichever way they are stored, the room in 
which they are kept should be as cool as possible, 
and quite out of the reach of wet or damp. Examine 
them from time to time, and remove any coats of the 
bulbs that may be mouldy or decaying. Some bulbs 
may be rotting away entirely; all such should, as 
soon as discovered, be thrown away, to prevent them 
infecting the sound ones. 
These instructions may appear to some to be too 
minute, but it is by such close attention to every 
point of culture that the cultivator of any kind of 
J plant succeeds in bringing them to the utmost amount 
333 
of perfection. We can see no reason why hyacinths, 
with proper soil and careful management, may not 
be grown quite as fine as those in Holland, especially 
on the south coasts, on flat, alluvial, sandy plains. 
Hyacinth in Pots .—The same compost nearly as 
we have recommended for the beds of these plants 
will suit well for their culture in pots, namely, loam, 
sea or river sand, and very decayed cow-dung, instead 
of vegetable mould, in equal parts. Choose the pots 
as deep as you can get them—rather more so in pro¬ 
portion to the width than the usual shape. The size 
known as small 32s is the proper one:-these are 
about six inches wide at the top. Pots, indeed, might 
he made deeper on purpose for these bulbs, and would 
be more suitable on account of the roots not spread¬ 
ing, but running straight down. 
Having the bulbs, compost, and pots ready, pro¬ 
ceed to perform the potting; place a large piece of 
broken pot over the hole at the bottom, and then a 
few smaller pieces upon it; put upon them a little 
moss; then throw in a little soil, and press it firmly 
down with the hand ; add a little more, and press it 
again; and so on till the pot is nearly full, or just 
full enough to allow the top of the bulb to be level 
with the edge of the pot; then place it in the centre, 
and put soil around it, pressing it very firmly. If 
you do not do this, the bulb will be apt to rise up 
when it pushes forth its roots. The reason why we 
recommend this pressure of the soil is to prevent the 
roots descending too quickly to the bottom of the pot. 
The whole being potted, choose an open situation in 
the garden, and form a bed of sufficient size to hold 
the stock; dig out the soil deep enough to allow the 
pots of bulbs to be below the level. Place them in 
it in rows. To preserve the names, have wooden 
labels of sufficient length to stand up above the 
covering of the bulbs. Put these labels in before 
they are covered, to prevent mistakes. Work in 
amongst the pots part of the soil, to keep them firm 
in their places. They may be placed so thick as 
nearly to touch each other. When they are all put 
in, cover them over with decayed tanner’s bark, or 
coal-ashes, two inches thick. Now, all this ought to 
be done before the end of October, at the latest. In 
this situation they may remain till the time they are 
wanted to be forced into flower. Prepare a gentle 
hotbed if you have no other convenience. About 
the middle of December will, for all ordinary cir¬ 
cumstances, be quite early enough. By that time 
the bulbs will in their quiet situation have formed a 
considerable quantity of roots, and will be quite 
ready to push forth their beautiful fragrant flowers 
to ornament the greenhouse or window at a time 
when flowers are doubly acceptable. Place those 
selected for the first batch in the hotbed as soon as 
the heat is moderated, putting them upon a coating 
of ashes. Cover the frame at nights, and give air 
during fine days: even in cold weather it will be 
desirable to tilt the lights up behind a little every 
morning, to allow the steam and damp air to escape. 
As the plants advance in growth, give more air 
and less covering, in oi-der to give a stout strong 
growth and full green leaves. Put in others in suc¬ 
cession from time to time, and then you will have 
bloom from February to May. 
Evergreens from Seeds.* —The best time to sow 
seeds of evergreens is the spring; some, as the holly, 
will lie in the ground for two years without growing, 
therefore care must be taken that the ground is not 
disturbed for that time. The berries of the Portugal 
laurel and other kinds will soon he ripe; gather them 
* This should have been inserted last week at p. 321. 
