160 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
deal of trouble is taken in what is called preparing the ground. 
An immense quantity of sand is mixed with the soil, and that 
often of the worst quality, viz. coarse yellow pit sand, the very 
worst thing possible to put under the roots of any plant; in fact, 
this is always insisted on as of the first importance, insomuch so, 
that I remember one writer on the subject recommending, where 
sand (I believe he said sea-sand) could not be procured, a mixture 
of magnesia, carbonate of soda, and a variety of other chemical 
ingredients, that only required a pretty strong stimulant to set the 
whole in such a fermentation as would be sufficient to subdue the 
most obdurate hyacinth in any of our florists’ lists, lengthy as 
they are. 
In the next place, the manure used is generally old exhausted 
material, sometimes two or three years old; with this mixture, to 
say nothing of the soot, &c. usually introduced, the plants, when 
in bloom, from the light drying nature of the composition, require 
a great quantity of water, which is very prejudicial to them. A 
great error also exists in planting these, and indeed most other 
bulbs, that is dibbling them in ; this causes a hard crustation of 
the soil round the sides of the bulbs, and also leaves a cavity 
directly under the bulbs, in which the water collects, which, if it 
does not immediately cause the bulb to rot, materially retards the 
formation of spongioles, and, consequently, the plant produces a 
small insignificant bloom. Now, though the hyacinth will grow 
and blow in water alone, it must be remembered that it is not then 
exposed to frost, &c, ; also, that water is changed frequently, so 
that it does not become impure from stagnation. And, again, 
when taken up, the roots are generally exposed to the scorching 
rays of the sun for three or four days, or a week, are then put into 
bas-s or on shelves, and no more trouble taken with them till the 
next planting season, when they are generally found either shri¬ 
velled to nothing, or two-thirds of them rotten. 
I have thus stated, in plain terms, the misfortunes and errors 
to which a collection of these lovely flowers are often subjected, 
and at which I hope my brethren of the blue apron will not feel 
angry; for I consider them far less to blame (such having been the 
practice for many years) than those who were in possession of 
the better method, and would not make it known. Such persons 
I look upon as worse than misers, for we should always remember 
that 
“ Imparted knowledge doth not diminish learning’s store.” 
