Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-11-02
Window esnrdeninv in No,onlcr.

Dark, stormy November is now at hand, and,
II we would Danish its gloom, VIC must fill our
windows with brightly blooming, fragrant
plants. In making selections let us not forget
that dubious roots, such as hyacnths, tulips,
crocuses, scias, etc, are of the easiest culture,
and there are few plants which will better repay
us for the care expended upon them. Hyacinths
are the most fragrant and beautiful of ali this
class of flowers, and they can be grown in hya-
cinth glasses with little trouble. Place small
bit of charcoal at the bottom of the glass, ill it
upwith rain or spring water aud place the bulb
half an inch from the water; then put into
dark, cool closet for six weeks. This gives the
roots time to start and furnish food for the flow
er stalk which lies concealed in the bulb, Now
bring the glass into the light and in two or
three days give it all the sun YOU can. Two
drops OF liquid ammonia, added to the the water
every week, will intensity the color, and increase
the beauty of your flowers. The water need not
be changed, as the charcoal will keep it sweet;
but if it evaporates, add little more water
taking care that the chill is removed from Ii. IL
moss can be easily obtained, a margin of it
around the top of the glass adds 10 the beauty
of its appearance and keeps the bulb moist
Those of our readers living in the country may
not be able to supply themselves with hyacinth
glasses. The mail bags will bring them bulbs
IRON any seed store or florist, but not the
fragile glass; yet every housewives closet will
furnish a glass or china dish, and even a
white pudding dish may be made ga thing Of
beauty"
Strew over the Bottom of the dish small bits
of charcoal, and then fill it up with sand, heap
ing it toward the center; place the bulbs in the
sand, leaving the crowns just above il. In the
interStices plant smaller bulbs, such as cTocuses,
Sclllas, and snow-dropS; and mngling of all
three produces pleasing effect. Immerse the
dish in pail of warm water to settle and thor
oughly wet the sand: then place 1t in dark,
cool place for six weeks, or until the roots are
well grown, and the leaves are an inch or more
in hight Then bring them gradually to the
full sunlight, and give fresh air enough to keep
the stalks from spindling badly. Once week
drop three drops of ammonia water into half a
coffee cup of warm water, and wet the sand
thoroughly 1t should never be allowed to be-
come quite dry and a covering Of moss will
keep it Of more uniform moisture. | arranged
large glass dish last year, in this way Six
single hyacinths, which are preferable to the
double for house culture, were planted around
the edge of the dish, while in the center poly
anthus narcssus, Etoije dor reared its stately
head; all around it were placed purple, yellow
and variegated crocuses, and blue and white
scillas, and the lovely snow-drOps were grouped
about the whole, making a very effective appear
ance when all were in fall bloom.
Three dollars would supply all the bulbs, and
those of rare varieties, and such miniature
garden would take up but small place, while
to a real lover of flowers it would give weeks of
unalloyed pleasure, at the same time demand
ing but little attention. Hyacinths, crocuses
and scillas can be grown in damp moss alone.
Take bunch of moss, thoroughly dampened,
and wrap it closely around the bulbs leaving a
large circumference in which the roots can de-
velop themselves. Take fine copper wire and
twist it all around the ball of moss to keep it in
place. You can suspend it from the window or
chandelier by bright ribbons or worSted cords.
after having kept it in the dark for six weeks,
this practice being essential for the house Gull
ture of all bulbs, for, if given light and air
directly, the flower stalks will push up before
the roots have strength enough to maintain
them. These balls of moss crowned with a
bright, fragrant flower are lovely adornments for
the parlor, boudor, or chamber. Very pretty
rustic baskets can be made of the small round
sticks of oak or maple, fastened at the corners
by burning holes through the ends with red hot
wire and passing piece Of wire through them,
turning it up into a loop, with pincers at the top
and bottom, and fitting in wooden bottom.
These, when filled with moss and planted with
hyacinths, tulips, scillas, crocuses and snow
drops, make exceedingly pretty ornaments for
any window.
The oXaliS is beautiful bulb of the easiest
culture, and it will bloom in great profusion in
the winter and spring, either in hanging bas-
kets or in pots. There are several varieties, and
their colors vary from white, rose, cherry color
and yellow, to a variegated pink and white. The
bulbs are very small, and six or eight can be
planted in seven inch pot of light, rich soil.
Inc flowers are shaped like those of the single
zonale geraniums, and bloom in clusters while
their leaves are clover shaped and very orna-
mental. The bulbs should be planted early in
November. Due van Tholl tulips are very pref
ty for forcing in the winter, blooming finely
either in wet sand, moss or soil. They can be
also planted in five inch pots, planting five
bulbs in each, one in the centre and four equally
distant at an inch from the rim. The narcjssus
is well adapted for window gardening, and its
general treatment should be the same as that
of the hyacinth Plant one bulb in five inch
pot
The cyclamen does not receive the attention it
merits, for it is perhaps the most desirable
dubious Towering plant that was ever seen,
either in paror or conservatory. 1t is most
easily cultivated, but requires an even temporal
ture; If 1t becomes chilled it will not bloom A
SIX inch pot is large enough for the largest bulD
and some ofthem will throw up from one to two
hundred flower stems, each bearing a lovely
shaped blossom. Some of the varieties arc of
the purest white, with bright, purplish center,
While Others are OF every shade OF pink and red
Inc oulbs OF the cyclamen are in a solid CORN
and will not divide, so that all fresh plants are
| raised from the seeds, which will not even Yege-
| tate, excepting under professional skill, After
| the plants have finished blooming the pots can
be plunged by May into the open border in
shady location, and no care need be taken of
them until there is danger of frost. Then repot
in rich soil of leaf mold well decayed COW
manure, and turfy loan, in equal parts; water
moderately, and keep ina sunny window.
Inc lily OF the valley can be easily forced as a
hyacinth, and its exquisite beauty and fra
GRANGE can be enjoyed at Christmas as well as
in the month OF May. Take large clumps of
Towering roots and plant them in the richest Of
loan, and manure well mixed, and plunge the
pots or boxes out of doors where they will freeze
hard. The latter part of November they can be
brought into the house, and thawed out gradu-
ally; when thawed, place the pots in sauceIs,
and I'LL them night and morning with boiling
water, keeping them in the warmest place, with
a moist atmosphere. The mante-piece of
kitchen range is good place for them, as much
light is not essential for them. When in bloom
they can be kept in any place that is desired,
provided it is not cool one. The same crowns
will not bloom another season, but can be
planted out in the ground, and in two years will
bloom again. Hyacinths grown in water, sand
or moss will not bloom again for two years or
more, but the next autumn, after keeping them
IN dry sand through the summer they can be
planted in the border; crocuSes and snowdrops
also require the same treatment.-Sprinqfeld
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