208 AGRONOMY 



the bulbs are properly planted, pushing upward almost as soon 

 as the snow is gone and blooming at a time when flowers of 

 any kind are rare. In addition to the spring flowering bulbs 

 there are a few that bloom in summer. Summer flowering 

 species are nearly always tender and have to be dug up and 

 kept from the cold during the winter. The gladiolus and 

 tuberose belong to this class. The spring flowering bulbs are 

 not only hardy but they have to be planted in autumn in time 

 to make root growth if they are to bloom the following spring. 

 During summer they may be dug up and stored in a cool dry 

 place, or they may be allowed to remain in the soil and annuals 

 planted over them. Many low-growing species may be natural- 

 ized on the lawn and will bloom before the grass is high enough 

 to require cutting. If not cut too closely in mowing, they will 

 continue to bloom from year to year. Taller species, such as 

 the daffodil and narcissus, are occasionally naturalized along 

 the margin of streams and the edges of woodlands, where they 

 thrive as well as our native species. In planting the spring 

 flowering bulbs, a well-drained spot, protected on the north and 

 west, should be selected. They may be planted in masses in- 

 formal groups, and as soon as the ground is frozen should be 

 covered with several inches of coarse straw, leaves, or other 

 litter. In spring the mulch should not be removed until the 

 growing plants require it ; otherwise they may be injured by 

 the cold. In the public parks and other large grounds bulbs 

 are frequently arranged in geometrical and other designs. 



Carpet bedding. This is the term applied to a form of plant- 

 ing in which plants with bright-colored foliage are arranged 

 in formal designs and kept trimmed to an even surface, giving 

 an effect not unlike a carpet or rug. Ribbon bedding is much 

 like this, since it consists in setting plants in long, straight 

 rows. This kind of planting may be used along walks and in 

 other situations where straight lines prevail, but is not adapted 

 to plantings in the natural style. 



