192 



BULBS 



BULBS 



the various bulbs. Perhaps the most important class of 

 all bulbs for winter-flowering and forcing are certain 

 hardy and half-hardy kinds. They are the most easily 

 managed of all, and need occupy no space in the window 

 or greenhouse, excepting when in bud and bloom. Un- 

 der suitable treatment, they flower with great certainty, 

 and their flowering period may be hastened (forced) or 

 retarded at pleasure, so as to "bring them in " for certain 

 occasions, or to give a continuous succession of bloom. 

 There is a great variety of kinds of bulbs to select from 

 for this purpose (see list of species at end of this arti- 

 cle), yet the great demand, at this writing, has centered 

 on the following leaders, especially for forcing pur- 

 poses : A Uiiim Neapolitamim,A .Hermetti grandiflorum, 

 Anemone fulgens, convallaria (Lily-of-the-Valley),*J'Vee- 

 sia refracta alba, gladiolus "The Bride," early single- 

 flowering Dutch Hyacinths and "Romans," Campernelle 

 Jonquil, Lilium candidum, L. Harrisii and L>. longi- 

 florum. Several narcissuses are in demand, notably 

 among the large trumpet varieties : Emperor, Em- 

 press, Golden Spur, Horsfleldi, Maximus and Trumpet 

 major ; among the medium and small trumpets : Sir 

 Watkins, Barrii conspicuus and Poeticus ornatus; of the 

 doubles are Von Sion and Orange Phoenix ; of the Poly- 

 anthus narcissus : Paper White grandiflora (Totus 

 albus),and Double Roman (Constantinople). Of other 

 species of bulbs, Ornithogalum Arabicum, Spircea astil- 

 boides floribunda (Aruncus), and single and double 

 tulips of the early varieties are in demand. The prin- 

 ciples of culture for hardy bulbs for winter flowering 

 are the same, whether only a few are grown in pots for 

 the window garden, or whether they are to be forced by 

 the thousand by the florist. The first essential is to 

 secure the strongest bulbs. Remember that the flowers 

 were formed within the bulbs the previous season. If 

 you buy bulbs of narcissus containing only one flower, 

 or hyacinths with only ten bells on a spike, the best 

 culture possible cannot make them produce more ; but 

 good culture will develop^such flowers larger and better. 

 The next most important essential we might say the 

 secret of success in flowering bulbs in the house or 

 greenhouse is perfect root development before the tops 

 begin to grow. To aid the uninitiated in this important 

 matter, we will illustrate : When hardy bulbs are planted 

 in the open ground in the northern states in the fall, the 

 weather above them is cool or cold, the ground beneath 

 them is warmer, and the conditions are congenial for 

 root action but deterrent to top growth. This results in 

 the perfect development of such flowers as the bulbs 

 contain. On the other hand, when hyacinths, tulips, 

 narcissus, and most other hardy spring-flowering bulbs 

 are planted in fall in our extreme southern states, they 

 usually prove disappointing, because the weather is 

 warm, causing the flowers and foliage to begin to grow 

 before the roots ; and as soon as such sustenance as the 

 bulb could supply has been exhausted, the plant stops 

 growing and dwindles. W T hen we grow bulbs under arti- 

 ficial conditions, we must make them produce roots first. 

 Failure to do this is responsible for nine-tenths of the 

 disappointments. 



When hardy bulbs are to be grown in pots for winter 

 blooming in the house or conservatory, the bulbs should 

 be potted as soon as they are procurable, between Au- 

 gust and November. Some writers recommend that 

 bulbs be planted in successional lots to give later and 

 continuous flowers, but we think such advice is at fault, 

 as the bulbs tend to dry out and lose vitality when kept 

 dry too long. It is no trouble to retard the flowering of 

 hardy bulbs in winter, as hereafter described, without 

 keeping them out of the ground. 



The soil should be rich loam. Fresh manure cannot 

 be used. Of thoroughly rotted manure, some may be 

 pulverized and worked into the soil, but it is safer to 

 use pure bone meal, one part to fifty of soil. If the soil 

 is stiff and heavy, mix it with sand and leaf -mold or 

 peat. The size of pots depends upon the kinds of bulbs. 

 A 5-inch pot is best for a first-sized hyacinth, or large- 

 bulbing narcissus, particularly the Polyanthus type. 

 Tulips, small narcissus, and bulbs of a similar size, 

 while they can go individually into a 4-inch pot, are bet- 

 ter when put three or more of one variety together in a 

 larger pot, as the soil retains a more even temperature 

 and moisture ; and for this reason some prefer earthen 



bulb-pans, which come in various sizes, from 8 to 18 

 inches in d'iameter. In potting, place a little broken 

 pottery or lumps of charcoal in the bottom for drainage, 

 then fill the pot with soil and shake it down, but do not 

 pack it. Neither must the bulb be pressed or screwed 

 into the soil, else the soil will be packed under it so 

 that when the roots start they often raise the bulb out 

 of the pot. Plant the bulb just deep enough that its top 

 will not show. Large and 

 soft bulbs, which are lia- 

 ble to rot, may be set in 

 a cushion of sand, and 

 the bulb not covered with 

 soil until it has taken 

 root and become estab- 

 lished (Fig. 290). 



When planting mixed 

 bulbs in the same pot, 

 pan or box, care should 

 be used in selecting dif- 

 ferent varieties that will 

 flower at the same time. 

 290. Bulb with a cushion of An early-flowering Due 

 sand beneath it to prevent decay, van Thol and a double 

 Tournesol tulip would 



flower a month apart under the same treatment. Some 

 varieties of hyacinths, of narcissus, and of most species 

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

 course, would spoil the effect. 



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. Do not water them unless the soil is 

 very dry, 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 coldframe or 

 cold-pit to root. This is the most important detail in 

 flowering bulbs under artificial conditions. Cover the 

 pots, boxes or pans with 4 inches of sand, ashes, rotted 

 leaves, tanbark or similar substance, and do not put the 

 sashes on until freezing weather, and even then remove 

 the sash on pleasant days. When no coldframes or pits 

 are available, the pots may be covered as advised in a 

 cool cellar. It is preferable, however, to sink them in 

 the open ground. The writer never had finer flowers on 

 hardy bulbs than when treated as follows: A trench a 

 foot deep is dug in the garden where water will not set- 

 tle on 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 rounding over. No 

 further attention is required, as everything is congenial 

 to perfect root development, while the weather is cool 

 enough to check top growth. 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. Some early bulbs, such as 

 Roman hyacinths, Paper White narcissus, Due van 

 Thol tulips, etc., 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. Every two 

 weeks after the first removal of pots, or as needed, fur- 

 ther relays of rooted bulbs may be taken out for a con- 

 tinuous display of bloom. When the pots of hardy bulbs 

 have been taken up, place them in a cool greenhouse or 

 cool, light store room, 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, 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 good rule to keep in mind in flowering 

 hardy bulbs is: Temperature, 40 for roots, 50 for foli- 

 age and stems, 60 for best flowers, 70 for quick de- 

 velopment, 80 to rush bloom with loss of substance 

 and risk of "going blind" (producing no flowers). 



