Nearly fill a hyacinth glass with water, rain-water if possible, and put two nuggets of pure wood charcoal in it. Lay a small round of fish-netting over, and place a bulb on this, so as its base just touches the water. The netting is to support the bulb upright, but can be dispensed with if preferred. Put the glass on a cupboard shelf in the dark, but where a chink can be left free for air. Fill up with water as required. Admit to light gradually when the growth is a couple of inches high. Then remove to window or greenhouse sunshine.

Many bulbous plants can be grown very successfully in bowls or vases with or without holes for drainage, provided a specially prepared material is used, which is sold for the purpose, and consists of peat fibre, crushed shell, and charcoal. All large firms of seedsmen supply this. The bulbs are simply laid upon the material, slightly pressed in, and it has to be kept just moist. The distances at which bulbs should be set can be guessed by noting the distances advised for bulbs in pots.

Suitable bulbs include daffodils, early tulips, single jonquils, Roman hyacinths, early single Italian hyacinths, single Poet's narcissus, polyanthus narcissi, scilla sibirica; also the ' Glory of the Snow' (Chionodoxa Luciliae), royal blue, which may be treated like scilla sibirica.

There are also the meadow-saffrons (Colchicums), several autumn and winter flowering species of small crocuses which bloom long before the equally suitable spring crocuses, single snowdrops, and the exquisite little azure blue and lavender iris stylosa, which will bloom any time from November to April indoors. Place bulbs of this two inches apart in September.