October Meeting of Garden Flower Society. 

 Minneapolis Public Library, October 12th, 2:30 P. M. Program: 



"Fall Covering," "Heeling In," "New Varieties Especially Successful," 

 "Reports on Seeds." 



Come and bring your friends. 



General Directions for Bulb Planting. 



The best soil for the bulb bed is that in which bulbs have never been 

 grown. A light loam is the very best, to which rotted sods may be added 

 to advantage. If the soil is heavy, it can be improved by adding sand. 



The bed should be deeply spaded, at least a foot, at the same time dig- 

 ging in a fertilizer composed of three parts bone meal, one part wood ashes 

 and one part Scotch soot — which you may not be able to procure now. Stable 

 manure cannot be used unless it is very old and well rotted, and then it 

 should be placed well below the bulbs, so it cannot come in contact with them. 

 If possible, prepare the bed several weeks before planting so it may have 

 time to settle. 



When planting the bulbs it is well, if possible, to remove the earth to 

 the depth at which the bulbs are to be planted, so that they will all be at 

 a uniform depth and so bloom at the same time. Spread a half inch of 

 fine sand over the surface before planting the bulbs, then carefully replace 

 the soil so as not to knock any of them over. If this method of planting 

 is not possible, the bulbs may be set in with a trowel or dibble, being care- 

 ful that all bulbs of a kind are set at a uniform depth, and that a little sand 

 is placed under each bulb to insure good drainage. One grower advises 

 scattering pieces of moth balls in the soil of beds that are liable to attacks 

 from mice or moles. After the ground is frozen two or three inches a light 

 cover of leaves or litter may be put over the bed, the same to be removed 

 before growth appears in the spring. 



Hyacinths will do better in a sandy soil than in heavier soil, as they 

 are grown in Holland in a soil that is nearly pure sand. They should 

 be lifted each spring when the foliage has ripened, and the bulbs stored 

 over summer in a dry, cool place. Planting should be done before heavy 

 frosts, the bulbs being set not less than six inches apart and six inches 

 deep, me- ng to the bottom of the bulb where the largest bulbs are 

 used. F( cond sized bulbs five inches will be right. Hyacinths should 



have a little heavier winter cover than other bulbs. 



Tulips are subject to a disease if planted too often in the same soil; 

 so as far as possible use virgin soil or renew the soil in old plantings. 

 Planting should be finished in two or three weeks after the first hard 

 frost. Never plant when the soil is sticky after rains. The early kinds 

 should be planted five inches apart and five inches deep; late tulips require 

 six inches each way, and as many in depth. It is always best to place 

 sand under them, and if any manure is used have it at least six inches 

 below them. The bone meal will always be found safer to use in the bulb 

 beds. 



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