American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-11-08
Bulbs in House Culture.

Every autumn many persons pot a num-
Der of bulbs in the hope of enjoying their
bright and fragrant flowers in mid-winter,
and a large proportion of these persons
are disappointed. After all their expense
and pains they get only few poor unsat-
isfactory flowers, if perchance they have
any at all. In potting bulbs, as in other
matters, there is right and wrong
way, and those who are inexperienced
generally choose the wrong. 1t is some
times useful to tell how not to do it.
Pick out, we will say, hyacinth bulb
that has green point, which shows
the bulb is alive. Plant this in
pot and set it in a sunny window.
The leaves will soon begin to unfold;
when they are only two inches or
SO high you VIII see the flower-buds.
After a while the buds will begin to show
color, and you wonder why the flower
stem does not shoot up, as you have seen
it, nearly foot in length. The flower
stem refuses to bulge, more or less flow
ers open languidly, and without making
any satisfactory show soon begin to fade,
and this is the end of the bulb. Disap-
pointed you set to work to find out the
cause of failure, and turning the bulb out
of the pot you find that it has made
scarcely any roots and that the little show
of leaf and flower that appeared was en-
bulb itself Having no roots, or so few as
to be of little use, the bulb could not even
take up the water necessary for growth.
The way to do it is just the opposite to
this. Select good, sound bulbs, the
heaviest always the best, without regard
to any green point. If the bulb is sound
and firm on the top it is all right. Plant
the bulbs as soon this month as they can
be had, and put them away in Il dark
ala fnr rIx rl,~. 81,
temperature will be uniform. A good
way is to set the pots in some sheltered
place and cover them six inches to a foot
deep with coalashes. 1t is well before
covering to invert small thumb pot
directly over the bulb, in orGer that the
young growth, should it start, may not be
injured in removing the ashes At the
| end of six weeks if you examine the pots
the top will be found to have made but little
| if any growth, but if you turn out the
| ball of earth it will be found filled with
| roots. You now have a r0oted bulb which
| can be forced at pleasure. Give ii a warm
place, plenty of sun and water as needed,
| and foliage and flowcr-stalk will push
with astonishing vigor, and Il fine truss of
| flowers will reward you for the pains.
What is here recommended for the
| hyacinth is equally true for the narcis-
| sus, tulip, or any other bulbs that are
"
| well rooted before exciting any growth
| above ground, which is accomplished by
keeping the plant at a moderate temper,i-
ture and in perfect darkness. Placing the
| pots in a perfectly dark cellar will answer.
In whatever manner they are kept while
roofing it is best to bring them out few
at time at intervals of week or more,
| in order to have "a succession of bloom.
| Good garden soil or that from a pasture
oil I,..t Il nfiH 81.
mix in enough sand to make it open.
| When the plants are growing well weak
manure water or solution of guano IAN
ounce to the gallon) may be given once or
twice week, which will not only add to
the vigor of the plants but improve the
| color of the flowers.
| Pots made very narrow in proportion to
their height are made especially for hya-
! cinths, etc, and have an ornamental outer