September 28 , 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
633 
he fibre if too much compacted. The 
anger in this is sometimes seen in using 
rdinary compost, especially if the lower 
ayer of soil is first pressed and then the 
mlbs placed on the top. A very large 
lumber of roots are pushed out, and if 
he fibre is too hard, the bulbs push them- 
elves out of the jars with the fibre on the 
op. Having used judgment in this mat¬ 
er and potted the bulbs, the treatment 
otherwise is pretty much the same as with 
.rdinary compost. 
The next question is what to do with 
he jars that have been filled. A very 
ommon custom, and equally common 
nistake, is to place them in a dark cup- 
ooard or dark, airless basement or room. 
3ulbs are like other plants, they delight 
n a free play of air, and light is cer- 
ainly necessary as soon as ever the leaves 
:ommence to show themselves. They 
nay be stood in a cool greenhouse or 
:old frame, and those who have not that 
onvenience can stand the vases on a win- 
low sill, garden path, or a bed of ashes. 
This should be done at once on receiving 
he bulbs, and while the weather is fairly 
nild, the bulbs will commence growing. 
.Vhen the flower spike has grown about 
m inch the bulbs may then be placed 
vhere they will get plenty of light and 
ur, and be protected from the weather. 
3f course, those who have frames or a 
:ool greenhouse will have this protection 
; rom the first. All that we should im¬ 
press upon them is that the bulbs should 
rave all the advantage of light as soon 
is they are above the fibre. 
The matter of watering will offer the 
nost serious obstacle to beginners, but 
:hat is simple and easily surmounted by 
dose attention. No .water will be re¬ 
paired immediately after potting if the 
noss has been properly prepared. It is 
after growth has commenced that the cul¬ 
tivator will have to pay strict attention 
to this. When the moss fibre is begin¬ 
ning to get brown on tbe top the bulbs 
should be watered, giving them just suffi¬ 
cient to moisten the fibre in each vase. 
If the operator has reason to suspect that 
water is lodging in the bottom, then the 
vases should be gone over and each tilted 
on its side so as to run out the superfluous 
water. The moss fibre itself, being like 
a sponge, retains enough water for all the 
needs of the plants, so that no super¬ 
fluous water should be allowed to remain 
in the bottom of the vases, as it inter¬ 
feres with the proper work of the roots. 
During winter these vases will go a week 
easily without attention, and even then 
may not be dry, but the plant lover will 
inspect everv jar at least once a week, 
and if water is necessary it should be 
given. 
After some years of trial this mode of 
culture shows that it is highly serviceable 
for the cultivation of plants in rooms 
where the vases have to stand on valu¬ 
able furniture. The moss fibre also 
solved the question of soil, for being light 
I it can be sent long distances for small 
price. 
-- 
Brasso-laeliocattleya Rowena. 
The flowers of this fine hybrid are pale 
yellow, with some green markings on the 
beautifully fringed lip. First-class Cer¬ 
tificate by the R.H.S. on September 3rd, 
when shown by Major Holford, C.I.E., 
C.V.0. grower, (Mr. H. G. Alexander), 
Westonbirt, Tetbury. 
[IT 7 elb fr- 5 Sons. 
Narcissus Madame de Graaff. 
White Trumpet Daffodil 
We remember the sensation caused 
when five guineas were asked for a single 
bulb of Mme. de Graaff, which was by 
far the best and largest white Trumpet 
Daffodil in those days. Since then, how¬ 
ever, the original bulb has so multiplied 
by offsets that anyone with a real desire 
to possess this grand variety may now 
procure it at a reasonable cost. The 
price is, of course, greater than would be 
asked for bulbs of exhibition Hyacinths, 
but those Hyacinths are really very old, 
and are probably now grown by millions 
on the bulb farms of Holland. The 
bulbs of Mme. de Graaff are now fairly 
numerous, and are being increased year 
Mme. De GRAAFF. 
by year by everyone connected with bulb 
growing. 
In those early days we presume that 
this particular Daffodil originated from 
Narcissus moschatus, because at that 
time it was the only one which possessed 
white colour in both segments and trum¬ 
pet. We do not mean that it originated 
directly from the old wild type, but from 
some of the larger varieties which then 
existed under such names as N. cernuus 
and N. cernuus pulcher, though we note 
that some authorities now reckon N. cer¬ 
nuus a distinct species from N. moscha¬ 
tus. Since that time many growers have 
freely utilised Mme. de Graaff for tbe 
