632 
. NOTICES. 
To Readers and Correspondents. 
“ THE GARDENING WORLD ” is published by 
MAOLAREN AND Sons, 37 and 38, Shoe Lane, London, E.O. 
Telegrams and Gables: “ Buns,” London. Telephone 
Number : 997 Holborn. 
“THE GARDENING WORLD” is published every 
Tuesday, and dated for the following Saturday. Price 
One Penny. Annual Subscription (prepaid), post free, 
6 a 6d. United Kingdom; 8s. 8d. Abroad. Cheques and 
remittances generally should be made payable to 
Maclaren and Sons, and crossed London City and Midland 
Bank. 
Advertisement Orders should be addressed to the Pub¬ 
lishers. The insertion of advertisements cannot be 
guaranteed for the following issue unless received by 
Saturday before date of publication. 
EDITORIAL.—Letters for publication, specimens for 
naming, requests for information, manuscripts and 
photographs must be addressed to the Editor. Corre¬ 
spondents should write on one side of the paper only, 
and give name and address as well as nom-de-plume. 
The Editor will not be responsible for loss of unaccepted 
manuscripts, photographs, etc., but if stamps be enclosed 
ordinary care will be exercised to ensure return. If 
payment for photographs or text is desired, the price for 
reproduction must be distinctly stated, and it must be 
understood that only the actual photographer or owner 
of the copyright will be dealt with. All contributions 
of any kind in the Prize Competitions become the 
property of the Proprietors of “THE GARDENING 
WORLD.” .The Editor’s decision in Prize Competitions is 
Inal. * 
SPECIMEN COPIES.— The Publishers will be pleased 
to send specimen copies of “THE GARDENING WORLD ” 
for distribution amonfit friends, and will appreciate the 
lerTloes rendered bj readers in this connection. 
Gdifopial. 
Quu T^ulb Number . 
The fascination of bulb growing, though 
an old pastime, is ever new with each re¬ 
turning season. The period of growth 
seems a short one, but hardy bulbs really 
commence growing in autumn, especially 
those which are planted early or have been 
left all summer in the ground, and con¬ 
tinue gradually to advance till they have 
completed their flowering and the leaves 
commence to die down. The period of 
flowering of an individual bulb, a variety 
or species of bulb is relatively short, more 
particularly those which bloom in spring. 
With species and varieties belonging to 
different species, a long succession can be 
kept up, say from January or February 
till the middle of June. This is practi¬ 
cally half a year, and that in our climate 
means a great deal. Flowering may be 
interrupted by snowstorms or periods of 
frost, but that we expect in winter, and 
the intervening mild spells are opportuni¬ 
ties for early flowering bulbs, and they 
hasten to respond in a manner that is 
truly remarkable as it is welcome and de¬ 
lightful. 
The majority of those who stock their 
gardens with bulbs annually confine 
themselves to spring flowering Crocuses, 
Winter Aconite, Daffodils, Hyacinths and 
Tulips, and indeed these are indispen¬ 
sable, as they wait till our climate will 
permit their free and uninterrupted 
blooming. Other bulbs, such as Snow¬ 
drops, winter and early spring blooming 
Crocuses, Chionodoxas, and the earlier 
Narcissi, brighten and enliven the bare 
ground in advance of the more common 
bulbs, and are doubly welcome as they 
steal a march on winter and forestall the 
milder days of spring. Nowhere are the 
early bulbs more welcome than in districts 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
where a relatively heavy snowfall occurs 
every winter, and to which the early bulbs 
give a welcome relief. 
To deal with all of the available bulbs 
within the compass of a single issue is 
impossible, as the subject is a vast one, 
but throughout the autumn, winter and 
spring, we take occasion to refer to differ- 
The accompanying illustration repre¬ 
sents three Hyacinths which were grown 
in moss fibre in ornamental vases with¬ 
out drainage by Mr. Bartleet, Bearwood, 
Birmingham, and which secured first 
prize for three Hyacinths. They must 
have been admirably grown, as readers 
can judge for themselves by reference to 
the photograph, showing that the flower 
[Robert Sydenham. 
Three Model Hyacinths in moss fibre. 
spikes in two cases are about twice as 
long as the leaves, while the latter stand 
up stiffly in each case, as they ought to 
do when well grown by proper exposure 
to light and attention to watering. The 
varieties were King of the Blues, Inno¬ 
cence and Gertrude, but many others 
can be grown with equal success by the 
same process. 
The question of cultivating bulbs in 
moss fibre is of growing importance, and 
although we have had our eyes upon this 
form of cultivation for many years past, 
we had no idea at first that it would ulti¬ 
mately be brought to such perfection and 
found to be a very useful method of cul¬ 
tivating bulbs. When once the process 
is understood, it is simplicity itself, and 
requires little attention. The utility de- 
September 28, 1907. 
ent kinds and the purpose for which th 
are most eminently suitable. Our pag 
are also open to everyone, to give advi 
in the matter of difficulties, and to gi 
details of culture where these are 1 
quired, and to help the beginner whe 
the conditions for bulb growing in 1 
garden are not always of the best. 
pends both upon the potting materi 
and the advantage of having the bul 
in vases without drainage holes in thei 
as in the case of ordinary flower po 
Furthermore, these vases are not poro 
like an earthenware pot, and no wat 
or soil percolates through the bottom a: 
no moisture oozes out throught the si 
face to wet or damage furniture or tat 
covers in the drawing-room or dinir 
room, where the pots may be kept wh. 
in bloom. Even with the greatest : 
care flower pots stood in saucers soon 
table covers by keeping them continua • 
moist.. 
' We are indebted to Mr. Robert Sydu 
ham, of Tenby Street, Birmingham. ( 
the illustration, the bulbs having be. 
grown by ‘one of his customers. 1 
Sydenham was the first to introduce tl 
system of growing bulbs in moss fibre . 
ornamental vases without drainage. 1 
himself fills about five hundred jars ' 
vases every year, and has only about r 
per cent, of- failures, even when frc. 
three to twelve bulbs may be grown in. 
vase.- . Moss fibre has another reco; 
mendation,. namely, that it is light, a. 
easier to obtain than loam in some d- 
tricts. Commence the process of potti; 
by. rubbing the moss fibre so .as to redir 
it to a .uniform texture without lumj 
About 8 lbs. of ground shell is mix! 
with each bushel of moss-fibre and a f' 
lumps of charcoal are put in the botto 
of each jar to absorb impurities and ke> 
the material sweet. 
When obtained the moss fibre is c - 
and'^ light, weighing about 20 lbs. }.' 
bushel, “ but • it should be proper 
moistened before commencing to pot w 1 
it. * The operator should pour about 1 
gallon of water on each half bushel f 
fibre, using a rosed watering pot so 5 
to distribute it. This is allowed to so: 
in until the fibre has increased in bu 
by about one-third and feels just nice 
moist wdthout any water running aw 
from it when squeezed in the hand. 0) 
gallon may not be sufficient, but that b 
to be determined by the discrimination f 
the operator. 
When the moss and ground shell ha! 
been thoroughly mixed and proper 
moistened, put a few lumps of charccl 
in the bottom of the vase, then 1 in. > 
3 in. of fibre, according to the size of ts 
r ase, placing the bulbs on the top of th. 
Full sized Hyacinth bulbs are, of cour, 
potted singly. After putting in the bub 
the proper way up the jar is then ,filH 
up nearly to the top with moss fibre- al 
pressed moderately firm. There is a \ ,! - 
tue in not making it too firm, becai? 
roots of bulbs are rather thick and hap 
a difficulty in pushing their way throuj 
Three Model Hyacinths 
Grown in Moss Fibre. 
