72 FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



LATE BULB PURCHASES 



Sometimes, during early December, one can pick up a bargain 

 in Dutch bulb stock which can be made to pay by late forcing or 

 outdoor planting. Rut it is a mistake to put off the ordering of 

 bulbs such as you need for your forcing demands. Waiting for such 

 bargains in planting bulbs as late as December makes their forcing 

 impossible for February, March, or early April; but you have good 

 use for Tulips and Narcissi after Easter, and if you can buy sound 

 bulbs at a low price after you have your regular requirements all 

 planted, it is well to consider doing so. 



If you intend forcing Valley during the next few months, stock 

 up with pips now. They can easily be kept in fine shape in a cold- 

 frame, and when well heeled in sand, a little frost won't hurt them. 

 While you want cold storage pips right now for forcing, a little later 

 the freshly imported ones will be just as good. In hardy Lilies you 

 can now pot up Lilium magnificum, auratum, speciosum rubrum 

 and album. The best way to handle them is to place the pots 

 after a good watering below a bench in the Violet house. If you 

 have a coldhouse with room to spare in it, the Hydrangeas and pot 

 Roses should go there. The plants are better off if they don't 

 freeze, and, with the Hydrangeas in particular, you want to be 

 careful not to have the end buds get hurt through severe freezing. 

 It will ruin the flower buds. For those who like to grow on palms 

 from seed, this is a good time to get started; but bear in mind that 

 while it is interesting to grow on a Kentia, a Latania, or a Phcenix 

 from seed and watch it develop into a beautiful specimen, you 

 cannot ever expect to make money by doing this on a small scale. 

 Heat and a moist house are the first things to be considered in palm 

 culture and a lot of time comes next. In the case of the average 

 florist retailing his stock, that time can usually be devoted to some- 

 thing else that will result in better returns. 



