156 State Horticultural Society. 



seldom grow until late in the spring, except the white lily and its 

 varieties, which make their growth in the autumn preparatory to 

 blooming in early spring. 



As we have seen that each bulb has its season of rest, it would 

 follow that all bulbs should, during that season, have nothing to excite 

 their dormant powers and to urge them to growth. With most bulbs, 

 this is afforded by taking them out of the earth, and preserving them 

 in a perfectly dry place, or with many bulbs grown ijj pots by with- 

 holding water, and "drying them oft'." 



Some hardy bulbs do better if taken from the ground as soon 

 as they have matured their growth, and wrapped in dry paper, thus 

 kept until the season for replanting; this, indeed, is the general prac- 

 tice with "Holland bulbs." Others again do better if left in the ground 

 undisturbed for years. 



Bulbs grown in water should be planted in soil as soon as the 

 bloom fades. 



As a class, bulbs are most interesting, whether we regard the 

 facility with which they can be cultivated, or the variety, profusion 

 and brilliancy of their flowers. 



A bulb-bed can be gay every month, from early April to Novem- 

 ber, and the brilliancy of their bloom is unrivalled in the floral king- 

 dom. 



Their name is Legion, and many of the rarer species are no less 

 curious than beautiful. A bulb case in a south window and a bulb-bed 

 under it, will give us flowers from January to December, as we begin 

 the year with fragrant hyacinths, and enjoy, in turn the ever welcome 

 snowdrop, the gay crocus, the delicate iris, the gaudy tulip, scented 

 hyacinth, brilliant narcissus, stately lilies, gladiolus, till the double 

 Roman narcissus once again bids us a merry Christmas and a happy 

 New Year. 



The primary rule in bulb culture is, grow the foliage well. The 

 stronger and more vigorous the leaves are, the stronger will be the 

 bulb, and consequently, the larger and finer the bloom. The present 

 great mart for the more common bulbs is Holland, where bulb cul- 

 ture is the business of many principal horticulturists, by whom the 

 foreign market is supplied. This business has been carried on so 

 extensively for many years that certain exotic bulbs such as tulips, 

 hyacinths, and crocus, are generally known as "Dutch or Holland 

 bulbs." 



These bulbs are raised in such quantities, and are so cheap, that 

 in this country it is easier to import bulbs than to raise them, so that 

 bulbs which have flowered are usually thrown away. As a general 



