146 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
The ideal soil for growing bulbs is a well-drained loam, 
deep, moist, and underlaid by a heavier but fairly porous 
subsoil. The soil should contain plenty of humus but no 
fresh manure, as contact with the latter often results in the 
rotting of the bulbs. Light, dry soils should be made heavier 
and more retentive of moisture by plowing under a green 
crop, such as clover or cowpeas. Heavy, soggy soils should 
be made lighter by tile drainage, deep plowing, and the 
addition of lime. 
When special beds are used for bulbs they should be pre- 
pared as follows: The soil should be removed to a depth 
of one foot, five to six inches of well-rotted manure placed 
at the bottom, and on top of that about one inch of sand 
to keep the bulbs from coming in contact with the manure. 
The bulbs are then set, base down, upon this layer of sand 
and covered with soil level with the surface. This planting 
is done in October or early in November with such hardy 
bulbs as daffodils, tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, jonquils, ete. 
The hyacinths may be planted at the same time, although — 
they are not entirely hardy and ample protection during the 
cold weather is necessary. The distance and depth of plant- 
ing vary with the different kinds and will be found in the 
accompanying table. The lilies need a deeper and warmer 
soil than the other bulbs, and as they are not strictly hardy, 
require greater protection during winter. All spring-bloom- 
ing, fall-planted bulbs should be covered by a mulch of three 
to five inches of straw, grass, or even well-rotted manure. 
This should be applied after the ground is frozen in the 
case of the hardy bulbs, and is used chiefly to prevent alter- 
nate thawing and freezing during spring and consequent 
heaving and breaking of the roots. For naturalized hardy 
bulbs the soil itself is sufficient protection. In the partiall 
hardy bulbs, like the lily and the hyacinth, the mulch ~ 
should be put on before the first heavy frost. It should be 
removed from all the bulbs in the spring as soon as danger 
from frost is over. After flowering the bulb leaves should 
be left on until they begin to brown and wilt, the browning 
being an indication that the leaves have performed their 
function of storing food for another year, and the bulb is 
ready for its resting period. 
if the bed which contained the bulbs is to be replanted 
with annuals or bedding plants, the bulbs may be taken 
up carefully before they have ripened, and trenched in a 
shady place where the ripening will proceed. If this opera- 
ion is not performed carefully enough to prevent the wilt- 
ing of the leaves, which is very likely to happen because it 
