REPORT OF MR. 8. A. BEDFORD 816 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



BULBOUS PERENNIALS. 



This class of flowers was very satisfactory daring the past season, many varieties, 

 which have hitherto succumbed to the winter, coming through in good condition and 

 flowering well. The following brief notes will give an idea of the number of varieties 

 tested together with special mention of some of the more meritorious ones. 



Tulips. — In addition to the number of these bulbs which are planted for decorative 

 purposes around the Superintendent's house and other portions of the farm, forty-seven 

 named varieties were received from the Central Experimental Farm and planted on the 

 perennial plot on hillside in the fall of 1901. All came through in line condition, 

 there being scarcely a break in any of the rows. They consisted chiefly of the following 

 classes, viz.: — 



Single Early. Double Early. 



Parrot (mixed). Bizarre. 



Byblffimen. Late Double (mixed). 



0/ the Single Eo.rhj-. — Those specially worthy of notice were Rose Grisdelin, 

 Coleur de Cardinal, Albion and Gold Finch. 



Of tlie Double Early. — Couronne d'Or, Rose Aimable, Tournesol and Salvator Rosa. 



Of Bizarre Varieties. — Trafalgar, Negress, Sword of Holland and Sultan Osman. 



Of the Byhloemens — Henry /T.— Quadricolour, Grande Monarqueand Bella Donna. 



The Parrot varieties with their peculiarly twisted petals and variable colouring were 

 much admired. The Late Double mixture also contained many fine varieties. Special 

 mention should also be made of the following : — Tulipa gesneriana, T. gesneriana 

 sjmthulata, Bouton d'Or, Bicotee, Golden Crotvn, T. viridifora, T. Greigi. 



The latter are not included under any of the first mentioned classes, but are well 

 worthy of cultivation. 



Crocus. — Six varieties of Crocus were planted in the fall of 1901, and were given a 

 slight winter covering of manure and for the first time since they have been tried here 

 came through in the spring and flowered freely. The following varieties were repre- 

 sented : — Queen Victoria, Baron Brunos, Madame Mina, Sir Walter Scott, Prince 

 Albert. 



It is to be hoped that this hardiness will prove permanent as the fact of their 

 flowering so early in the spring renders them specially valuable for Manitoba. 



Snowdrops (Galanthus Elwesii). — A number of these bulbs were planted in the 

 fall of 1901, and though not given any special covering, came through the winter in 

 good condition and flowered well, the first occasion since testing here. 



Scillas (Squills). — Three varieties of Squills were planted in the fall of 1901, and 

 came through the winter and flowered well. The varieties were as follows : — .S'. sibirica, 

 S. sibirica alba, S. bifolia. 



Ornitliogalum. — Two varieties of this bulb were planted in the fall of 1901, viz., 

 0. arabicum and 0. umbellatum. and both came through the winter well and flowered. 

 This was the first test of this bulb at the Experimental Farm, and we consider it a 

 valuable acquisition to our list of spring flowering bulbs. 



Puschkinia. — Two varieties of this bulb were planted in the fall of 1901, for the 

 first time on this farm, viz., B. libanolica and P. scilloides. The first mentioned did not 

 survive the winter, but B. scilloides flowered freely, its pretty scilla-like flowers being 

 much admired. 



