BULB CULTURE. 



and the berry is very firm ; one of the best 

 characteristics is, that it will stand wet 

 weather splendidly ; there are many varieties 

 of berries that the least bit of wet weather, 

 or a few hours rain, will destroy. I some- 

 time; think the Magoon would stand a week's 

 wet weather, if not too ripe. The Magoon is 

 the most productive new sort that we have 

 ever tested. The Mexican strawberry we 

 believe to be the most productive of all the 

 well tested sorts. The record of the Magoon 

 strawberry is very good, single plants by 

 high culture, have yielded during the season, 

 9 lbs. of fruit. Tlie Magoon is also a very safe 

 berry, as it will stand extreme heavy frosts, 

 and still yield a good crop ; the heavy foli- 

 age helps to protect the blossoms wonderfully. 

 As a shipping berry, this sort equals the Dol- 

 lar strawberry, and this sort is the standard 



of excellence, as a long distance shipper. The 

 blossom is perfect, and the foliage free from 

 rust ; these plants form enormous stool plants, 

 and are at their height at three years of age. 

 We wrote a short time ago, an article on the 

 Mexican strawberry. A couple of horticul- 

 tural editors in America, because they had 

 never heard of this berry, at once condemned 

 it. For their benefit, and the ones who read 

 tlieir papers, we would state that the Mexi- 

 can strawberry is cultivated by at least 5000 

 strawberry growers in the west, and that all 

 the leading seed and plant companies on the 

 Pacific Coast, sell and advertise plants for sale. 

 People who condemn anything without know- 

 ing the least thing about it, are not very 

 reliable persons to edit agricultural papers. 

 S. L. Watkixs. 

 Orizzly Flats, Cat. 



BULB CULTURE. 



'E think the best time to start 

 this subject of growing bulbs 

 is when you get the bulbs in 

 the fall. We will give the 

 readers of The Horticulturist a few 

 hints of our methods. Having selected 

 the stock you intend to grow for the 

 coming season, get some good loamy 

 soil which can be materially improved 

 by mixing in a liberal quantity of sharp 

 sand. Next select a suitable sized pot, 

 and after washing clean and soaking it 

 in clean water for a few minutes, place 

 a stone or piece of broken pot over the 

 hole in the bottom of the pot. Fill the 

 pot three-fourths full with the prepared 

 soil, then place the bulbs in and fill the 

 pot within an inch of the top, pressing 

 the soil firmly around the bulb. The 

 hyacinth, tulip, crocus, allium and or- 

 nithogalum must, after potting, be well 

 watered, and then be set away in a place 

 which is dark and quite cool. Leave 

 them there to form roots, this will take 

 from eight to ten weeks. It is necessary 

 that these instructions should be fully 

 carried out if good results are to be 

 secured. Leave the bulbs in the dark 

 until the soil is filled with roots and 

 they will then be ready to make a strong 



and healthy growth as soon as they are 

 brought to the light and warmth. 

 Before taking the plants from the cellar 

 see that the soil is full of roots. If it is 

 not full, and the bulb is sound, leave it 

 until roots are formed. Examination 

 can be made by inverting the pot and 

 slipping the ball of earth out without 

 disturbing the bulb. The Mexican lily, 

 narcissus, calla, and freesia, should, 

 after being potted in the usual way, 

 be watered thoroughly and set in a 

 cool place. It is not so necessary that 

 these should be placed in a dark place, 

 but for the others four to six weeks in 

 the dark is an absolute essential to 

 success, because if the root system is 

 not fully developed, the flowers will be 

 a failure. If it is impossible to get 

 loamy earth, any ordinary garden soil 

 will do. If manure is added be sure it 

 is thoroughly well rotted manure, as 

 new manure will prove fatal to your 

 bulbs. Add a little sand if the soil is 

 lacking in that constituent. The last 

 mentioned lot of bulbs must not be too 

 freely watered until they have made 

 some growtii — H. Townsend, of Deso- 

 ronto Hort. Soc. 



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