THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET 
281 
100 feet in length by 32 in width, and all so connected 
with underground passages that the workmen can pass 
from one to another without going out doors. The 
Roses are trained on wires and are exceedingly vigorous. 
The buds are cut every hour and carried to an ice 
house lined with zinc and having three air chambers, 
until packed in air-tight boxes for the home market, or 
to be sent to New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Chi¬ 
cago, Canada and as far as Kansas City. In February 
there were 7,000 Marechal Niel Roses cut in one of these 
houses and 20,000 Jacqueminots in another, to. say 
nothing of the thousands of Cornelia Cooks, Baroness 
Rothschilds, Catherine Mermetts and all the varieties 
of Roses that are so eagerly sought for at the present 
time. One house has Tea Roses alone. These Rose 
houses cover four acres and require an army of work¬ 
men to take care of them. The very height of flori¬ 
culture of all varieties in the neighborhood of Boston 
is, however, reached in the famous Hunnewell Gardens, 
or the Italian Gardens, as they are popularly called. 
They are owned by a gentleman named Hunnewell, 
and are open to all who care to visit them. There are 
fifty acres under cultivation.” , 
BULBS FOR FALL PLANTING. 
The Bulb Catalogues, that now come to us by every 
mail, are quiet reminders that summer is passing rapidly 
away, and while the flower garden is still rich in blos¬ 
soms, we must prepare for the window garden, and for 
the early flowers of the coming spring, by the purchase of 
bulbs. Never before have we known bulbs so cheap, or 
of a better quality. The bulb industry of Holland lias 
been greatly stimulated by the forcing of bulbs for 
winter flowers in this country. It is not an uncommon 
occurrence now for a single florist to force 100,000 
Tulips in one season, and other bulbs in proportion. 
This demand has greatly increased production, and, 
consequently competition. The Dutch growers have 
their agents in every town, and have sold bulbs of most 
kinds at rates much lower than ever before. This fact 
should in a great degree stimulate planting, and those 
contemplating doing so should lose no time in com¬ 
pleting their arrangements. 
THE HYACINTH 
is, by general consent, the first in importance, and for 
the window garden the bulbs should be procured at 
once, potted in light rich soil and the pots then plunged 
beyond the reach of frost in any convenient out of the 
way place ; or they may be placed in a cold frame, or 
covered with coal ashes,. or newly-fallen leaves, in 
short, they want to be placed in a situation where they 
will make root growth, and ‘there left until after the 
middle of December when they can be brought into the 
house, the living-room or conservatory. At this time 
they will usually have made considerable growth, 
and will require liberal watering and plenty of light. 
Heat is not so essential, but it is better to have the tem¬ 
perature not too high, and as even as possible. For a 
succession of bloqm, bring in a few every two weeks, 
until the first of March, after which time they will be 
no longer required in the house, as those in the open 
border will be in flower early in May. 
Hyacinths in glasses are elegant and appropriate 
ornaments for the window garden, and for this purpose 
occasion but little trouble. They need not be started 
as early as when grown in pots; the first of October 
being sufficiently early to start them. It is important 
to select large and heavy bulbs, of the earliest varieties 
for glasses, as the flower has but little nourishment 
other than that which the bulb affords. Any Seeds¬ 
man’s Catalogue will designate the best varieties for 
this purpose. Place the bulbs in the glasses so that 
they barely touch the water, and keep them entirely 
excluded from the light until their roots fill the glasses, 
after which the lightest position possible, where the 
sun will not strike the glasses, is the best for them. The 
water should be changed two or three times a week, 
always having the fresh supply slightly tepid. In very 
severe weather the glasses should be removed from 
near the windows to avoid freezing. 
For the open border the bulbs should be planted in 
October, or at the latest, the first week in November, in 
order that they may form new roots before the ground 
freezes. It is true, that the bulbs may be planted as 
late as December and give good flower-spikes, but the 
chances of success, when planted so late, are by no means 
favorable. Hyacinths require to be planted at least four 
inches below the surface, and the soil should be made 
very rich; well-rotted manure from the cow-stable is 
the most desirable. If the soil in which they are to be 
planted is of a heavy nature, fine sand and peat should 
be added in liberal quantities. Before the ground 
freezes to the depth of the bulbs, give the bed a liberal 
mulching, in order to prevent alternate freezing and 
thawing, which is very destructive to the Hyacinth as 
well as to all other bulbs. 
In the selection of Hyacinth bulbs for the open border, 
we do not consider the highest priced bulbs the best by 
any means, on the contrary, we prefer the second 
quality, as that term indicates size only. Large sized 
bulbs will give a finer spike of flowers the first year, but 
is then quite.likely to break into pieces, and never again 
give other than weak, spindling spikes, while, if small 
bulbs are planted, they will remain good for two or 
more years. 
THE TULIP 
is next in importance, if, indeed, it should not have the 
first place in the flower garden. For display in early 
spring there is not a flower that can compare with it. 
It has the advantage over the Hyacinth in point of cheap¬ 
ness—no mean thing in its favor—besides, if planted 
in a strong loamy soil, it increases rapidly, and does not 
in the least deteriorate. The best soil for the culture of 
the Tulip is a rich, rather strong, well-drained loam. 
A bed of sufficient size for planting the bulbs, should be 
dug at least twelve inches deep. The bulbs should then 
be placed six inches apart each way, and pressed into 
the soil deep enough to keep them in their places, 
then covered with soil to the depth of three inches on 
the sides of the bed, and five inches in the centre. This 
precaution is necessary, that water may not stand on 
