212 
FLORICULTUKAL HINTS. 
which, the lights are constantly off, except a probability of wet 
occur, and then they are tilted three or four inches at the back ; 
this is the course pursued till Christmas, with one further excep¬ 
tion, which is at the time the autumnal frosts occur, they are shut 
close at night. As this period seldom extends oxer a fortnight, 
the plants are in effect merely sheltered from excesses ; they often 
get slightly frozen at this time, which I regard as rather favorable 
to them than otherwise, as inducing dormancy; but after Decem¬ 
ber I am as careful as any one to preserve them unscathed, espe¬ 
cially in February, when the bloom stems are rising, as a check 
of the kind then is sure to be evinced in the form of crumpled 
petals. 
Planting Tulips. I really wish I could induce some public 
grower to plant his bed in the Dutch method, with only five roots 
in a row instead of seven; the superior advantages it gives in the 
arrangement of the classes more equally throughout the bed, the 
extra freedom allowed the plants, and the additional ease with 
which each may be examined, would, I am sure, render its adop- 
V 
tion very general, were they once made known in the manner 
suggested ; to a beginner with only a limited stock it is far the 
best, as he may thus increase his display by what will appear so 
many additional rows. 
To the same individual I would say, in planting avoid the use 
of recent manure, and any excessive application of even that 
reduced to its best form. The tendency of too much manure is 
to flush the flowers; you may frequently observe the strongest 
bulbs will have foul blossoms, which may justly be attributed to 
an undue supply of food; on the other hand, enough must be 
given to maintain the requisite degree of vigour, still it is safer to 
err on the minimum side, for a small clear flower must ever be 
preferred to the largest in bad condition. The beds should be 
got ready as soon as convenient, as the offsets and small seedling 
roots should be planted early next month. 
The preservation of Polyanthuses is yet an unsettled question, 
whether it is better to keep them in frames or leave them to the 
mercy of the winds, remains undetermined, for what evidence we 
have oscillates most wonderfully; under the contradictory manage¬ 
ment they often receive, the problem to the plants is in reality 
“to be, or not to be,” and the negative most usually prevails. 
