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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  9,  1900. 
are  full  of  roots  and  the  foliage  has  commenced  developing  better 
than  a  temperature  10°  or  15®  higher. 
After  the  bulbs  are  potted  they  should  remain  under  the  ashes 
or  other  plunging  material  outside  for  six  weeks.  Tulips  are  some¬ 
times  longer  than  that  in  starting  early  in  the  season.  They  should 
be  left,  however,  until  the  pots  are  well  filled  with  roots,  for  nothing 
is  gained  by  bringing  them  out  before  they  reach  this  condition- 
Light  should  be  admitted  to  them  gradually  until  they  turn  green, 
after  which  they  are  not  long  before  they  commence  growing.  Two 
or  three  weeks  in  a  cold  frame  or  cool  house  is  not  time  lost  but  gained) 
for  the  plants  make  greater  progress  there  than  they  would  do  in  heat. 
It  is  a  great  mistake  to  introduce  them  from  a  cool  temperature  to  the 
forcing  house ;  they  should  first  occupy  a  position  in  a  vinery  or 
Peach  house  just  ttarting,  or  any  house  where  similar  conditions  are 
maintained.  " 
The  early  white  Roman  Hyacinths  are  the  first  bulbs  to  arrive, 
and  for  cutting  and  other  kinds  of  decoration  are  unsurpassed. 
The  first  consignments  arrive  about  the  middle  of  July,  and  if 
obtained  and  potted  or  placed  in  boxes  at  once,  their  delicious 
flowers  can  he  had  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  October 
without  resorting  to  any  undue  forcing.  We  require  the  blooms 
by  the  Ist  of  November,  and  we  always  pot  on  the  1st  of  August 
to  accomplish  this.  The  flowers  are  produced  under  cool  treat¬ 
ment  by  the  date  named  in  the  majority  of  seasons,  and  in  the 
worst  only  require  a  week  or  ten  days’  warmth  to  bring  them 
fully  out.  When  required  only  for  cutting  the  bulbs  are  as  well 
packed  closely  together  in  ])ans  or  boxes  as  placed  in  pots  ;  in 
fact,  for  the  earliest  flowers  they  are  better  placed  thickly  together, 
for  they  do  not  usually  start  so  evenly  and  regularly  as  later  in  the 
season.  When  required,  handsome  j)ots  can  be  made  up  by  lifting 
the  bulbs  from  the  boxfs  as  they  come  into  flower,  and  the  plants 
and  flowers  last  quite  as  long  as  when  grown  in  the  pot-’.  We  have 
practised  both  systems,  and  find  no  perceptible  difference.  Later 
batches  should  be  planted  at  intervals  of  a  month  as  long  as  the 
bulbs  remain  fresh,  but  as  soon  as  they  show  signs  of  gum  oozing 
from  them  potting  must  not  be  delayed  a  day  longer.  The  blooms 
of  these  are  invaluable  for  cutting  long  after  the  varieties  of  Dutch 
Hyacinths  can  be  produced.  We  usually  place  four  or  five  bulbs  in  a 
4-inch  pot  according  to  their  size,  use  no  drainage  in  the  pots,  giving 
preference  to  a  little  decayed  manure.  Any  light,  sandy,  mode¬ 
rately  rich  soil  is  suitable.  The  supply  of  Roman  Hyacinth  flowers 
can  be  maintained  from  October  until  March  if  the  last  batch  is 
placed  in  a  suitable  position  outside,  and  covered  with  hand-lights 
just  as  they  flower  to  prevent  the  flowers  being  injured  by  cutting 
winds  and  heavy  rains. 
The  blue  Roman  Hyacinth  can  be  had  in  flower  about  Christmas 
if  bulbs  are  obtained  as  early  as  possible.  The  flowers  about  that 
time  are  serviceable  for  cutting,  but  for  decoration  in  pots  it  is 
worthless,  for  the  foliage  is  produced  before  there  is  any  sign  of 
flowers,  and  generally  it  is  so  long  and  weak  that  it  falls  over  the 
sides  of  the  pots  unless  supported  with  stakes. 
The  large-flowering  or  Dutch  Hyacinths  should  be  potted  at  once, 
or  as  soon  as  they  can  be  obtained,  if  they  are  to  flower  without 
much  trouble  by  Christmas.  We  have  on  several  occasions  had 
Homerus,  single  red,  in  flower  by  the  middle  of  December.  This 
is  the  earliest  of  all  Hyacinths,  and  forces  well,  on  which  account 
it  is  valuable,  but  scarcely  worth  growing  later  in  the  season,  as 
the  colour  soon  fades.  L’Ami  du  Coeur  is  the  next  earliest  red 
variety. 
La  Tour  d’ Auvergne,  double  white,  is  only  a  few  days  later  than 
Homerus.  It  is  the  earliest  of  all  white  Hyacinths,  and  decidedly  the 
finest  double  variety  for  growing  at  any  period  during  the  season. 
The  spike  is  large ;  the  bells  pure  white,  large,  and  very  double,  there¬ 
fore  invaluable  for  those  who  require  to  wire  flowers  in  quantity 
foi;  wreaths,  bouquets,  or  buttonholes.  The  earliest  single  white 
variety  w-e  have  yet  been  able  to  discover  is  Grand  Vedette, 
lollowed  closely  by  Albertine.  The  first-named  makes  a  grand 
pyramidal  spike,  is  very  dwarf  in  habit,  with  bells  ot  a  very 
large  size.  Amongst  blush  varieties  Gigantea  and  Lord  Wellington» 
singles,  are  the  earliest,  but  nearly  a  week  later  than  those  above 
named.  Our  earliest  single  blue  is  that  finest  of  all  blue  varieties 
for  decoration,  Charles  Dickens ;  it  is  a  day  or  two  earlier  than  the 
preceding  two. 
Early  single  Tulips  generally  arrive  about  the  same  time  as 
Hyacinths,  and  can,  if  started  early,  be  had  in  flower  with  ease 
from  the  middle  of  December.  The  varieties  of  Due  Van  Tbol  are 
decidedly  the  earliest.  The  scarlet  variety  is  good,  also  the  rose- 
coloured.  The  others  wo  have  discarded  in  favour  of  Canary 
Bird,  yellow,  and  White  Pottebakker,  which  are  only  a  few  days 
later  than  Due  Van  Thol.  White  Pottebakker,  in  addition  to  its 
adaptability  for  early  forcing,  is  perhaps  the  finest  white  Tulip  iu 
cultivation.  When  forced  early  it  does  not  exceed  5  inches  in 
height ;  the  flowers  are  large,  and  beautiful  for  wreaths,  vases,, 
bouquets,  or  any  other  purpose  of  decoration,  and  are  very  fragrant.. 
All  the  Tulips  used  for  early  forcing  are  packed  in  pans  or 
boxes,  placing  the  bulbs  about  2  inches  apart,  and  then  lifted  out 
as  they  come  into  bloom,  and  even  pots  made  up  ;  the  bulbs  are 
tied  in  moss  when  used  for  baskets,  peculiar  shaped  vases,  and. 
other  receptacles.  At  one  time  we  thought  this  a  rather  barbarous- 
system,  but  it  is  decidedly  the  best,  and  the  only  means  by 
which  even  pots  full  of  bloom  can  be  had  so  early  in  the  season. 
The  flowers  last  as  long  if  the  bulbs  only  are  attached  to  them  as 
if  they  possess  roots.  It  is  possible  to  have  Tulips  in  bloom  early  iu 
December. 
Paper  White  and  Double  Roman  Narcissi  bulbs  generally  arrive 
at  the  same  time  as  the  Roman  Hyacinths,  and  if  potted  then 
can  be  had  in  bloom  by  the  first  week  in  November.  These- 
varieties  are  next  to  useless  for  decoration  in  pots,  and  should 
always  be  planted  thickly  together  in  boxes  and  pans  for  cutting 
purposes  only.  The  bulbs  are  not  so  certain  to  flower  as  Roman. 
Hyacinths  ;  we  have  been  very  much  disappointed  with  them  some 
seasons,  and  resolved  not  to  grow  them  again,  while  in  other  years 
they  have  done  well.  A  few  only  are  grown  to  produce  flowers  until 
we  can  get  States  General  into  bloom,  which  is  the  next  earliest 
variety.  The  double  Roman  is  about  ten  days  earlier  than  Paper 
While  when  the  bulbs  are  potted  together,  and  if  those  of  States 
General  could  be  obtained  at  the  same  time  it  would  not  be  far 
behind  them. 
The  secret  of  having  bulbous  plants  in  flower  early  is  to  know 
what  varieties  are  best  adapted  for  forcing,  then  secure  the  bulbs 
directly  they  arrive,  and  pot  or  box  them  at  once.  Success  afterwards 
is  certain  if  they  are  forced  into  bloom  as  steadily  as  possible  on  the 
lines  above  indicated. — B.  0.  M. 
Apples  In  Barrels. — Many  of  the  most  profitable  operations 
in  commercial  life  depend  in  the  first  instance  on  very  simple  facts. 
Most  persons  would  pass  by  without  observing  the  barrelling  of  Apples 
as  a  case  in  point.  If  Apples  were  placed  loosely  in  barrels  they  would 
soon  decay,  though  passing  over  bat  a  very  short  distance  of  travel]; 
and  yet,  when  properly  barrelled,  they  can  be  sent  thousands  of  miles, 
even  over  the  roughest  ocean  voyage,  in  perfect  security.  According 
to  an  American  contemporary  this  is  owing  to  a  fact  discovered  years 
ago,  without  anyone  knowing  particularly  the  reason,  that  an  Apple 
rotted  from  a  bruise  only  when  the  skin  was  broken.  An  Apple  can  be 
pressed  so  as  to  have  indentations  over  its  whole  surface  without  any 
danger  of  decaying,  provided  the  skin  is  not  broken.  In  barrelling 
Apples,  therefore,  gentle  pressure  is  exercised  so  that  the  fruit  is  fairly 
pressed  into  each  other,  and  it  is  impossible  for  any  one  fruit  to  change 
its  place  in  the  barrel  on  its  journey.  Apples  are  sometimes  taken  out 
of  the  barrels  with  large  indentations  over  their  whole  surface,  and  yet 
no  sign  of  decay.  In  these  modern  times  we  understand  the  reason* 
The  atmosphere  is  full  of  microscopic  germs  which  produce  fermenta- 
tion,  and  unless  they  can  get  an  entrance  into  the  fruit  rot  cannot  take 
place.  A  mere  indentation  without  a  rupture  of  the  outer  skin  doea 
not  permit  of  the  action  of  these  microbes. 
