The new practical housekeeping

Then repot and treat as before, but after two years of this forcing the bulb will have become exhausted so that it will be advisable to plant it in the lily bed out-doors to recuperate. There are so many lilies in cultivation that the inexperienced are often unable to decide upon what they should purchase. Let such by way of a beginning set a bulb of each of these, Auratum, Candidum, Longiflorum rubrum and album, Harrisii and double Tiger. When one has learned to grow these successfully then money may be invested in the more costly, but beautiful Brownii and the California lilies. HOLLAND BULBS. The person who would have a beautiful flower garden from the earliest days of returning spring, must procure and plant in the fall, some of the so-called Holland Bulbs. These consist of Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissuses, Crocuses, Snowdrops and others. The soil for bulbs should contain a liberal proportion of sand — at least one third. In planting, always measure the depth from the top of the bulb. Small bulbs and tubes, such as crocus, snowdrop, Spanish iris, ranunculus and anemone, should be planted about two inches deep; tulips and narcissuses, three inches; hyacintiis, four inches ; and crown imperials, five. The cost of these bulbs has been so greatly reduced in late years, that an almost nominal sum put into them will amply repay for the very slight labor that is required to brmg them into bloom. Cover the buds thoroughly after the frost sets in, with four or six inches of old manure, hay, straw, or dry leaves. Plant the bulbs where they need not be disturbed for several years, especially the narcissuses and snowdrops. Hyacinths, crocuses and tulips should be taken up every third year. This should be done after the bulbs ripen in the summer. What has been said will bring us up to the closing months of the year, a time when little or no further work can be done in the flower garden, so try head work during the winter. Make a definite plan of the arrangement of the beds for next summer, and the effects your proposed combination are likely to produce. It is customary in the larger gardens to draw diagrams of the flower beds upon paper, and color these with such tints as they will be likely to assume when in flower. Bead up all good literature bearing on this subject : decide upon what you want to purchase in the way of trees, shrubs, plants, bulbs or seeds ; mate out your order early, and place it in the hands of some reliable person, for execution. Deal always with principals; — no agents, — then if any thing turns out contrary to expectations; a pleasant letter to the person or firm, from whom you purchased, will generally bring about a satisfactory settlement. SPRING FLOWERS. The advent of spring is usually announced by the bloom of the crocuses and snowdrops ; indeed they are often seen pushing their pretty flowers THE FLO\yER QABDEN. 667 through the snow. Ab soon as may be after this, remove the litter which has lain upon the bnlb beds, not all at once, lest a severe frost kill the tender shoots just peeping above the ground. Soon the other bulbs will appear, the narcissuses, the hyacinths, and the tulips will add their beauty and fragrance.