DORMANCY IN BUDS 243 



another outdoors, and hasten greatly the production of flowering corms. 

 Denny is using other chemicals in combination with ethylene chlorhydrin, 

 seeking even more effective forcing action. 



Denny 23 gives the following simple description for forcing dormant 

 cormels: ''The amount of chemical to use depends upon the amount of 

 bulblets to be treated, e.g., seven drops of the chemical per ounce, one and 

 one-fourth teaspoonfuls per pound, or one pint per 100 lbs of bulblets. 

 The amounts do not need to be exact, but reasonable care should be taken. 

 For small lots, glass fruit jars Avith wide mouth are used as containers. The 

 bulblets are weighed and put in the jars; several varieties may be included 

 in one jar if the bulblets of the different varieties are tied in cheesecloth 

 bags properly labeled. On top of the bulblets lay a small piece of paper 

 toweling and on top of this place a piece of cheesecloth (in a loose pile) 

 containing the right amount of the ethylene chlorhydrin. A little practice 

 will show how large the piece of cheesecloth is required to take up the hquid 

 without serious dripping. The piece of paper will absorb any excess drops. 

 Then seal up the jar and let it stand at room temperature, approximately 

 70° to 75° F, for four days. The bulblets are then removed from the jar 

 and are ready for planting. If the weather is unfavorable the treated bulb- 

 lets may be placed in paper bags and planted when the weather is favorable. 

 A delay of a week before planting will do no harm. 



"With small quantities treated ui glass jars, the distribution of the vapor 

 to all parts of the jar during the four-day period of treatment seems to 

 be good. If a large quantity, say 100 lbs, is to be treated in large containers 

 such as ash-cans, it is recommended that a wire screen core be placed in the 

 center of the ash-can with the bulblets poured into space between the can 

 and the screen. The cheesecloth containing the ethylene chlorhydrin can 

 then be suspended from the top of the screen into the central core space, 

 and such a procedure will assist in getting penetration of the vapors to all 

 parts of the can. 



"After the bulblets have been soaked, the excess chemical should be 

 rinsed off with two or three changes of water. This is to avoid over-treating 

 and to prevent the bare hands from contact with the chemical in planting, 

 a precaution which is probably unnecessary but which may be worth taking 

 if large amounts of bulblets are to be planted by hand." 



Forcing Dormant Buds of Deciduous Trees and Shrubs 



The buds of deciduous trees and shrubs can be forced in the fall by treat- 

 ment with ethylene chlorhydrin vapors, thus eliminating the necessity of a 

 low-temperature period for after-ripening the buds. Several other chemicals 

 (propylene chlorhydrin, ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride, carbon tetra- 

 chloride, etc.) proved more or less effective. These, like ethylene chlorhy- 

 drin, could be applied as vapor which is desirable for treating trees and 

 shrubs because of the diflficulty involved in soak treatment. On the whole, 



