592 



BULB 



BULB 



When planting mixed bulbs in the same pot, pan or 

 box, care should be used in selecting different varieties 

 that will flower at the same time. An early-flowering 

 Due Van Tholl and a double Tournesol tulip would 

 flower a month apart under the same treatment. Some 

 varieties of hyacinths, of narcissi, and of most species 

 of bulbs vary greatly in time of blooming, which, of 

 course, would spoil the effect. 



The forcing of bulbs. 



When florists force bulbs in quantity for cut-flowers, 

 they seldom use pots, but shallow boxes, or flats, of a 

 size to economize bench-room. Usually these boxes are 

 cut down from soap-boxes to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. 

 The bulbs are planted closely in these, from an inch to 

 2 inches apart, according to the kind. The tops of the 

 bulbs (excepting lilies) are kept about even with the top 

 of the soil. Give a thorough watering to help settle the 

 earth about the bulbs, but give no more water until 

 growth begins, for bulbs in a dormant condition resent 

 an excess of moisture. After the bulbs are potted, or 

 boxed, as described, they should be placed in a cold- 

 frame or cold-pit to root. This is the most important 

 detail in flowering bulbs under artificial conditions. 



686. Various types of bulbs and tubers. 



1. Tuberose. 2. Colocasia antiquorum (Cafadium esculenium). 

 3. Easter Lily. 4. Jonquil. 5. Gladiolus. 6. LUium pardalinum. 

 7. Hyacinth. 8. Lily-of-the-Valley. 



Cover the pots, boxes or pans with 4 inches of sand, 

 ashes, rotted leaves, tanbark or similar substance, and 

 do not put the sash on until freezing weather, and 

 even then remove the sash on pleasant days. When no 

 coldframe or pits are available, the pots may be cov- 

 ered as advised in a cool cellar, provided close attention 

 is given to be sure that the soil is maintained in a uni- 

 formly moist, but not wet condition. It is preferable 

 however, to sink them in the open ground. Very fine 

 flowers were obtained from hardy bulbs when treated as 

 follows: A trench a foot deep is dug in the garden where 

 water will not settle in it, and it is protected from the 

 north and west cold. Three inches of coal-ashes is first 

 placed in the trench, to allow drainage and keep the 

 worms out. The pots are then placed on the ashes, the 

 earth is filled in about the pots, filling the trench round- 

 ing over. When the weather gets cold enough to freeze 

 a crust on the soil, an additional covering of about 4 

 inches of rough stable manure, leaves or straw, is put 

 over. This cover must be heavy enough to keep the pots 

 from freezing, not that this will injure the bulbs, but 

 that it will be almost impossible to remove the pots if 

 the covering of earth freezes solid. Care should be taken 

 that the sides of the trench do not fall in, depositing a 

 layer of earth over the leaves or other cover, which will 

 freeze hard enough to make removal difficult. Often 

 a simple cover of 8 to 10 inches of leaves directly 

 over the pots will be most advantageous if earth has 

 been worked in about the sides of the pots to retain 

 moisture. No further attention is required, as every- 



thing is congenial to perfect root-development, while 

 the weather is cool enough to check top-growth. Some 

 early bulbs, such as Roman hyacinths, Paper White 

 narcissi, Due Van Tholl tulips, and the like, will root 

 sufficiently in five or six weeks to be taken up for first 

 flowers, which should be out by Christmas or earlier, 

 but it is safer to allow all bulbs not less than eight 

 weeks for rooting. A fairly sure indication that the 

 bulbs are ready to be brought into heat is the appear- 

 ance of about an inch of top growth, and of an abun- 

 dance of roots through the bottom of the boxes or through 

 the holes in the bottom of the pots. Every two weeks 

 after the first removal of pots, or as needed, further 

 relays of rooted bulbs may be taken out for a contin- 

 uous display of bloom. When the pots of hardy bulbs 

 have been taken up, place them in a cool greenhouse 

 or cool, light storeroom, with temperature not over 

 50. This temperature will allow the flower-stems and 

 foliage to grow, and at the same time prevent the 

 opening of the flowers until the stems have attained 

 their proper height. The pots should be kept shaded 

 for several days until the top-growth has taken on its 

 natural green color, after which the pots may be taken 

 to a sunny, warm window, or wherever they are 

 wanted to flower. Bulbs treated in this manner will 

 produce perfect spikes of flowers. 



A practice often followed by florists early in the 

 season is keeping the bulbs in the dark and in 

 heat in order to draw out the flower stems to a proper 

 height. This can often be accomplished by placing an 

 inverted pot over the tops, the light coming through 

 the hole in the bottom being sufficient to draw out the 

 stems. If this is done, the bulbs must be watched to see 

 that the tops are all growing evenly; should some of 

 the bulbs get a start of the others, the pots must be 

 put in the light at once to avoid irregularity in flow- 

 ering. For early work, this darkening, together with 

 strong bottom heat, will give longer foliage and stem 

 than if the bulbs are subjected to strong light when 

 first brought under glass. But plenty of fresh air must 

 be afforded, and as the buds begin to show color the 

 pots must be removed to a cooler temperature to har- 

 den the growth, and enough light given to put color 

 in the foliage and the buds. 



A good rule to keep in mind in flowering hardy bulbs 

 is : Temperature, 40 for roots, 50 for foliage and stems, 

 60 for best flowers, 70 for quick development, 80 to 

 rush bloom with loss of substance and risk of "going 

 blind" (producing no flowers). 



The exceptions to the above advice are liliums and 

 lily-of-the-valley. The bulbs of Lilium Harrisii, L. 

 longiflorum and the various sorts of L. speciosum, in 

 addition to throwing out roots from the base of the 

 bulbs, usually form roots from the new stem just above 

 the bulb, and the plants and flowers derive much 

 strength from these top-roots. So in potting lily bulbs, 

 it is best to put them down so deep that there will be 

 sufficient soil above the bulbs to entice and sustain the 

 stem-roots. This may be done when the bulbs are pot- 

 ted, or 2 or 3 inches of soil may be added after growth 

 is under way and the stem-roots have begun to work 

 into the soil. An advantage in the latter method is that 

 some fertilizer may be mixed with the new soil, and 

 sustenance provided when it is most timely. In other 

 respects treat the bulbs after potting as just advised. 

 Winter-flowering lily-of-the-valley forms no new roots. 

 The thick, fleshy, fibrous old roots should be trimmed at 

 the bottom, leaving them from 2 to 3 inches long. This 

 allows them to absorb the abundant moisture with 

 which they should be supplied while the flowers and 

 foliage are developing. They flower just as well in sand 

 or moss, or anything that retains an even moisture and 

 temperature, as they do in soil, but lily-of-the-valley 

 for flowering in the house or greenhouse requires freez- 

 ing before it can be successfully brought into flower. 

 Without freezing, many pips will "come blind," or pro- 



