242 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



danger that the bulb may be suspended midway down the cavity 

 made for it. In this way the formation of roots may be retarded, 

 if not prevented altogether, and thus the bulb will be spoilt. 



After the planting has been completed it will be found a good 

 plan to cover the soil with an inch-thick layer of rich manure. 

 This should be left undisturbed till the spring, and be then lightly 

 forked into the surface of the ground. In the meantime the winter 

 rains will have washed the nutriment from the manure into the 

 soil, to the great benefit of the growing bulbs. It is important to 

 remember, however, that manure should never be allowed to come 

 into actual contact with bulbs. If manure be placed in the soil 

 before planting it should be dug so deeply that it remains well 

 below the level at which the bulbs are to rest in the ground. 



A problem that confronts the owner of a small garden who has 

 devoted a considerable amount of his available space to the cultiva- 

 tion of spring-flowering bulbs frequently takes the following form 

 just at that period of the season when spring is merging into 

 summer : " What shall I do with my bulbs of narcissus, hyacinth, 

 tulip and crocus ? Shall I leave them where they are or shall I 

 take them up ? " It may be that every foot of soil in bed and 

 border is required for summer-bedding plants, and the doubt arises 

 whether it may not be harmful to the bulbs to disturb them. It 

 is a knotty problem. In the case of narcissus and crocus it is 

 undoubtedly a good plan to disturb them as little as possible at 

 any rate, until at least three years after they were originally planted. 



But the problem must be faced and overcome. The solution 

 of the difficulty will give the gardener some additional trouble, but 

 it will be effort well spent The proper method of procedure is 

 to lift the bulbs carefully and, without cutting off the foliage, 

 transfer them to a corner of the garden where they can be left 

 undisturbed till their period of development has ended. This can 

 be ascertained when the foliage has turned brown The bulbs 

 shou'd then be lifted, placed hi a shady spot to dry off, and after- 

 wards be packed neatly in boxes or trays. They may then be 

 placed in a shed or outhouse until planting-out time returns in 

 the autumn. 



