THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



to make special study of the subsequent performance of these 

 particular blind bulbs. For purposes of special study 35 bulbs 

 of each of the two varieties were carefully dug from the ground. 

 Each plant was taken separately, the old dead outer scales were 

 removed, and the sister bulbs which could be readily separated 

 were individually weighed, graded according to size and num- 

 bered. In the autumn all were planted in beds in the experi- 

 mental plots. All other bulbs of these varieties were treated in 

 the manner of the previous year and the largest bulbs were re- 

 planted in display beds. 



The relative performance of these two lots of bulbs in the fol- 

 lowing spring (1917) is of special interest. Of the 35 "first" 

 or largest bulbs of Rose Grisdelin planted in the experimental 

 plots, 34 produced large flowers and one died ; of the 35 first bulbs 

 of Cottage Maid, 28 produced fine blooms, 2 were blind, i pro- 

 duced a scale leaf only, and 4 died. The performance of these 

 bulbs from plants blind in the previous year was excellent. In 

 contrast to this, however, scarcely a flower was produced by the 

 other bulbs of these blind stocks which were planted in the dis- 

 play beds. 



Furthermore, in 1917, blind tulips appeared among several va- 

 rieties that had bloomed fully in 191 6. Chrysolora, of largest 

 selected bulbs of stock blooming perfectly in 1915 and 1916, came 

 almost completely blind. In one bed of 500 plants about 50 per 

 cent, were blind, but the plants that bloomed produced excellent 

 flowers. In the conservatory court, in two beds having a total of 

 1,100 bulbs, only one bulb produced a flower. The blindness was 

 for the most part of an extreme type. In nearly all cases but 

 one leaf developed, as shown in No. 3 of Plate 37. Occasionally 

 two leaves were formed as is shown in No. 2. Of the variety 

 Crimson King about two thirds of 700 bulbs were blind, but in 

 these all the leaves developed. Of the variety La Triumphante, of 

 some 2,000 plants from selected bulbs only 10 bloomed. Although 

 blind plants were very numerous in those varieties other varieties 

 which had been handled in quite the same manner bloomed excel- 

 lently. La Reine and Grand Due especially gave excellent and 

 almost perfect records. 



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