Spare Bulbs Fuses at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

Many boats are used only in the daytime, but the wise skipper checks the navigation lights regularly—once a month is not too often—lest he or she be caught out after dark. Remember, running lights are to be used in any conditions in which visibility is reduced; this includes fog and rain. It is also important to have on board spare bulbs fuses bulbs and fuses, one or more of each type and size.

Lights: Check every light on the boat. Be sure to have on board a stock of replacement bulbs. Fuses: Test every fuse on the boat. Be sure to have on board a stock of replacement fuses. Bilge pump: Test. Be sure that the switch and fuse are in the "hot" ungrounded side of the line. Voltage: Measure voltage drop at the terminals of accessories such as blowers. When motor is energized, voltage must not drop more than 10 percent (only 3 percent for electronic gear).

One of the most popular ways of growing bulbs—snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses, in particular—is to naturalize them in drifts so they spread at will. This is usually done in grass, but those bulbs preferring shady woodland conditions can be naturalized in soil under trees and shrubs. It is also possible to establish bulbs beneath a planting of ground cover like scrambling ivies.