406 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The covering should be light, applied after the ground is frozen, and 

 removed as soon as an inch of growth has appeared in the spring, but keep 

 a little ready to use in case of late frosts following rain or snow, as water 

 often collects in the unfolding leaves, and freezing will destroy the flower 

 bud just as it appears at the surface of the soil. Early tulips need to be 

 lifted after the foliage has been ripened and stored for the summer in a 

 dry, airy place, but the later tulips may be left where planted to bloom 

 the second and third time, and will increase if they like the environment. 

 If the blooms decrease in number and size, they are calling for another 

 location and should be lifted and stored until autumn and then planted in a 

 different place. When cutting tulips at least two inches of the lower leaves 

 should be left on the stem to nourish the bulb. 



The blooms of daffodils or narcissi last much longer if grown in a little 

 partial shade, but they can be grown in almost any soil or situation. No 

 stable manure should be used but keep to the bone meal mixture as for 

 hyacinths. 



Planting should be done as soon as possible after the bulbs are re- 

 ceived for, as a family, all daffodils dislike being out of the ground any 

 length of time. The Poeticus, especially, must be planted early. These 

 bulbs vary greatly in size. Plant the larger ones six to eight inches 

 apart, the smaller four to five and cover them one and one-half times their 

 own depth. In very light soils an extra inch of covering should be given. 

 Daffodils should be lifted and divided every three years. If some kinds do 

 not bloom well, lift the second year and change the situation and soil. In 

 dividing, be careful not to break the base of the bulb, and separate only 

 those offsets that are loosely attached to the mother bulb. 



Plant all bulbous irises early in the fall. Crocuses should also be 

 planted early, and should be covered to the depth of two inches, measur- 

 ing to the bottom of the bulb. Do not try planting them in the lawn in 

 our climate. They will do as well in the borders and about shrubbery. 



Scillas will do well in shade and are planted deep in comparison with 

 the size of the bulb. Plant them five inches deep in rich soil. They will 

 increase faster if let go to seed. 



Snowdrops, Chionodoxas, Camassias, and Grape Hyacinths should be 

 covered three to four times their depth, and, if covered at all in winter, 

 given a very light protection. 



Try and work out a plan for continuous bloom in the bulb gardens 

 this fall. It is entirely practicable to raise a succession of flowers over 

 the bulbs if the right things are selected. Here is a plan followed by one 

 of our members. The bed is first planted to Darwin tulips. Late in 

 the fall tall poppy seeds are sown broadcast in this bed. After the 

 tulips have finished blooming, an equally charming effect is maintained 

 by the gorgeous poppies. Later, bachelor buttons, asters and scabiosas 

 are transplanted into the bed to replace poppies, which are pulled up when 

 through blooming. These prolong the bloom until time to sow the poppy 

 seed again, when they, in turn, are removed, the bed given a top dress- 

 ing of bone meal and wood ashes, well raked in, and the poppies sowed 

 again. Your Darwin tulips are six inches beneath the surface. Select, 

 then, plants whose roots will not penetrate to them. 



Charming effects can be produced by planting low growing perennials 

 in the bed after the bulbs have been put in. Meadow rue will give a 

 lacey background for your tulips and will make that particular part of 

 the garden beautiful throughout the season. Our beautiful native blue 

 phlox, divaricata, blooms at the same time as the later tulips, and most 

 wonderful garden pictures can be produced by planting it among your pale 

 pink or yellow tulips. Arabis Alpma, or albida, will provide a lovely 

 carpet of white under your early tulips, grape hyacinths or daffodils. 

 Phlox sublata, forget-me-nots, alyssum, saxatile and perennial candytuft 

 are all fine to use in the same way. This double planting will double the 

 joy of your spring garden. 



