A Croydon innkeeper, by pouring ale instead of water on to bulbs, has grown a bowl of daffodils in six weeks—nearly one third of the usual lime, says àn Evening Standard" reporter.
He is Mr. Alfred Hawkes, of the Bull's Head. Gardeners from all over the district have gone to see his blooms, which are two feet tall.
I don't know the first thing about horticülture, he stated recently. 1 merely poured several drops of ale on to the bulbs twice a week.
A horticultural expert told me:
The hops in ale contain nitrogen, which is used extensively for manure. Daffodils usually take 14 to 15 weeks to grow, but the nitrogen qualities in the ale must have induced the bulbs to take quick root.
Mr. Hawkes has been fortunate, for it was more than probable that the ale would have fermented and killed ihe bulbs. If anybody is thinking of employing his methods I advise him to use a bowl from which most of the ale can drain away. Not more than two tablespoonfuls should be applied each week.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.