178 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the collections of hardy chrysanthemums and of peonies and Japanese 

 irises. 



The rose garden is maintained in cooperation with the American 

 Kose Society, antl a report of the results has been i)ublished in the 

 Rose Annual of that society for both the years 1918 and 1919. De- 

 tailed records are made of the blossoming; of the different plants 

 and varieties and their behavior in other respects. The work with 

 chiTsanthomums consists fundamentally of a study of varieties 

 and their adajitability to ditFerent |)urposes; also the development 

 of earlier flowering varieties. The collection has been redut ed to 

 68 varieties, Avhich represent the earliest flowering individuals se- 

 lected from purchased collections and from about 10,000 seedlings 

 grown in 1917 and 1918. Most varieties of this group blossom too 

 late to be desiral)le. It is for this reason that special attention is being 

 given to the development of earlier blossoming sorts. 



BUI^B-CULTURE INVESTIGATIONS. 



Dutch hulbs. — The results with Dutch bulbs on Puget Sound point 

 to most gratifying conclusions. The character oi the crop just 

 harvested has given encouragement to a number of people interested 

 in the commercial production of these stocks and shows even more 

 conclusively than any previous one that both narcissi and tulips of 

 first quality can be produced on the loamy as well as the sandy soils 

 of the region. The indications, however, are that the production is 

 more economical on the sandy land than on the heavier loams. 



While the investigations in this subject are experimental, it is 

 found that the actual production of stocks at present market prices 

 is an item that attracts attention. The total turn-off of surplus stocks 

 from the experimental plats this season was close to 700,000 bulbs, 

 which had a market value of $10,000 to $12,000. 



With reference to hyacinths, it ma}' be predicted that as good suc- 

 cess may be had as wdth tulips and narcissi. The second season's 

 growth "of the 1917 propagation has been studied and indicates that 

 the major portion of a propagation of hyacinths can be marketed 

 the third year and the remainder of it the fourth, as a combination 

 of variable quantities of first and miniature sizes. 



In the culture of Dutch bulbs the most spectacular feature of the 

 past year's work is the result obtained with spent bedding tulips. 

 These when heeled in to mature have given in the East and at our 

 western station at Bellingham as good results as they did the year 

 imported and can be used again for bedding after being groAvn in 

 nursery form one year. It is urged that the wasteful practice of 

 discarding such material be disrontinued. 



Progress is being made with the culture of lilies, grape hyacinths, 

 the bulbous iris, Camassia, Brodiaea. and Scilla ; and various other 

 items are being accumulated as rapidly as possible. 



Easter lilies. — It has been demonstrated that it is perfectly feasible 

 to produce these stocks out of doors in the latitude of Washififxton. 

 The seedlings gi-own at Arlington Farm, Va., are free from disease, 

 vigorous, and yield when forced better than imported material. 

 Four to fi\e inrh srerlling bulbs oive an average of five flowers 

 when forced. It is ^'ounl perfectly practicable to grow the best 

 stem bnlblets t * ^" >-r-n - s^:'o in one and two years, so that when 



