264 THE SCHOOL GARDEN BOOK 



5. If you wish to get new bulbs started as offshoots, cut off 

 the flower-buds from some of these plants as soon as 

 they appear. Compare the size and number of off- 

 shoot bulbs produced by the tulips thus treated 

 with those on the bulbs that are allowed to blossom. 



Planting In-doors in Earth. 



1. Plant one bulb in a three-inch pot; three bulbs in a four- 



inch pot; five or six in a four-and-one-half- or five- 

 inch pot. Bury the bulbs firmly in the soil. Water 

 and set away in basement. 



2. Water occasionally, but don't keep the soil in the pots 



too wet. 



3. In eight or nine weeks examine the roots; if well devel- 



oped, filling the bottom of the pot, bring the plants 

 to a light, cool room. 



4. Water often enough to keep the soil moist. Watch the 



development of leaves and flowers. 



5. When the flowers are fully opened, pollenize some of 



them. 



6. Watch the flowers fade and the seed pods develop. 



7. If you have bulbs enough, cut off the buds of a few of 



them and keep the plants growing. See if the foli- 

 age ripens earlier than those which blossom. After 

 the leaves ripen, dig up the bulbs and compare the 

 size and number of the offshoots with those of the 

 bulbs that produced flowers. 



Planting In-doors in Water. 



1. Select the largest sized bulbs of early varieties; place 

 in hyacinth glasses or other flower-jars. Add rain- 



