HYACINTHS IN POTS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1857, 5 February 1880, Page 2

HYACINTHS IN POTS.

An English contemporary, speaking of the cultivation of this generally admired flower in pots, says : The successful cultivation of these in pots depends in a gr-at measure on the quality of the soil used for the purpose. The best compost is made up of one-half good fibrous loam, the other ha’f of equal proportions of well rott-d dung and leaf soil ; the pots should be from five to six inches in diameter, and deep and narrow rather than shallow and broad. In potting, about twothirds of the bulb should be buried, and the soil must not be pressed too hard about the base of the bulb, or in the act of rooting the fibres will be unable to penetrate the soil, and the bulb gets forced upward. After planting, the pots can be placed in a cool, dry, dark cellar, or out of doors, on a spot somewhat screened from wet, and if the pots be stood on slates or tiles, so much the better ; they should have a thorough soaking of water, and then be covered wish fine ashes to the depth of from one to three inches. If planted about the end of October the bulbs will have made shoots an inch long by the beginning of February, and they can be taken to the conservatory or greenhouse, or wherever it is intended they shall flower. A little warmth and plenty of water will greatly assist the production of fine spikes of flower. To this we may add, that we have had the best success by potting them, and placing in a light cellar until they had fairly started, and then bringing them into a room kept father cool, but with plenty of light, and only a moderate quantity of water, simply sufiicient to start the flower stalk strongly. Then a little more water and warmth will bring out the spike of bloom perfectly.