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MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



from the soil. Large growers use a digger drawn by a horse, 

 which runs under the bulbs without turning them over. 



If the bulbs are just ripe enough, the tops can be easily 

 broken off without injury to the bulbs, but if they are tough they 

 should be cut off close to the bulb with a sharp knife. 



The roots and old, shriveled bulbs can be pulled off easiest 

 about a month later, before they become too dry. These should 

 always be removed before the bulbs are planted again. 



A small quantity of 

 bulbs may be stored in a 

 market basket and placed 

 on a shelf or hung from 

 a joist in the cellar. If 

 there are a number of 

 different varieties that 

 you wish to keep sepa- 

 rate, they should be put 

 in paper bags when dug. 

 For storing large quan- 

 tities we use crates eigh- 

 teen by forty-eight inches 

 in size. The bulbs should 

 not be more than three or 

 four inches deep in the 

 crates or baskets, as they 

 are liable to sprout or 

 become mouldy if the air 

 cannot circulate among 

 and around them. 



They should always be 

 kept dry and cool. A fur- 

 nace room is. usually too 

 dry and warm, a wet cel- 

 lar is too moist. A cellar 

 which keeps potatoes 

 well is usually all right 

 if the potatoes are kept 

 A cool closet that does not 



G. D. Blaclc alongside his exhibit of gladioli, at 

 Freeborn County fair. 



on the floor and the bulbs overhead 



freeze is better than a very warm or damp cellar. 



They will keep in best condition in a temperature ranging 

 from thirty-two to forty degrees, with just enough moisture in 

 the air so that they will not shrink much. Too much moisture 

 will cause them to sprout, which will weaken them as much as 



