554 



Home Nature-Study Course. 



comfortable. The price for the single varieties are from $1.25 to $6.00 

 per hundred. " Mixed "' are worth about one dollar and a quarter. Bulbs 

 of narcissus increase rapidly and should an order for a hundred be 

 divided into eight varieties, " seedsman's choice," the increase in a few 

 years would be very satisfactory, 



Scilla Sibcrico, Chionodoxa. — I have grouped these two bulbs to- 

 gether for when in blossom they remind me of little orphan children 

 from a " Home " dressed about the same with perhaps a difference here 

 and there in some small furbelow. They are most pleasing in color, being 

 deep blue. H I could have but one, I would choose the scilla (or squill). 

 \i choice were denied, I could be consoled with the chionodoxa. They 

 may be planted and treated in much the same way as the snowdrop and 

 crocus. If planted beneath the shrubs they will be done blooming before 

 the shrubs will be in leaf and overshadow them. When once planted and 

 protected and fertilized as in directions for the care of tulips, etc., they 

 remain permanent for a number of years. The prices of these bulbs in 

 most catalogs are 30c per dozen or $2.00 per hundred for scillas, and 25c 

 per dozen and $1.25 per hundred for chionodoxa. 



Hoii' to plant fall bulbs. 



My first word of direction must be a " don't " rather than a " do." Do 



not plant fall 

 bulbs where 

 standing 

 water will 

 damage them 

 by causing 

 rot. Good 

 drainage i s 

 the first soil 

 condition to 



be considered. 



Depth at z^JiicIi bulbs slioiild be planted, froin a catalog. Those W h O 



have seen Chinese lilies and Paper-white Xarcissus growing in a dish of 

 water with a handful of pebl)les, or a hyacinth in a tall colored glass 

 vase with the white roots hanging in the water, may conclude that water 

 has no damaging eff"ect on the same bulbs when planted in the soil. This 

 idea, being one of inference, has no standing when compared with the 

 facts. In affairs of life, do not infer more than you have to. In plant- 

 ing bulbs, the location of the bed is usually one of availal)ility rather than 

 one of choice, and you must accept conditions as vou find them. Gravel, 

 sand and the different loam soils give natural drainage. Clay soil does 

 not. 



