BULBS 



191 



do this, then it is not advisable to use manure at all, for 

 the bulbs are liable to come in contact with it and 

 become diseased. Bone meal alone is then the safest 

 fertilizer to use, and it should be applied lavishly. Most 

 bulbs like rich food if properly applied. Although the 

 embrvo flowers were formed within the bulb the season 



before, yet their size, luxuriance and brilliancy this 

 season depend largely upon the nutrition the roots 

 receive. Liberal applications of manure water, when 

 the bulbs are in bud, often produce excellent results. 



The proper depth to plant bulbs varies according to 

 the kinds. It is a common fault to plant them too near 

 the surface. Some kinds, notably the Californian Hum- 

 boldtii and Washiiisrtonianum lilies, do best when 10 to 

 12 inches deep : hyai-inths, tulips, narcissus, and simi- 

 lar large bulbs fn.iii 4 tu i; inches deep ; smaller bulbs 

 somewhat .shall. .wtr. Ihirdy bulbs root during the fall 

 and early winter, and it' planted too near the surface the 

 freezing, thawing tmd heaving of the upper crust of 

 soil in mild winters often causes the bulbs to break 

 from their roots, and, in consequence, only inferior 

 flowers are produced. When good, cold weather has set 

 in and a light crust has been frozen on the soil, then 

 cover the bed with leaves, straw, marsh hay or reeds to 

 a depth of from 4 to 6 inches. This protects not only 

 from severe freezing, but from equally injurious unsea- 

 sonable thaws. Do not put the covering on too early, 

 for it might warm the soil so that the bulbs would com- 

 mence to grow and afterward be injured from freezing. 

 Gradually remove the covering in the spring. 



The general run of bulljous plants thrive in a loamy 

 soil, inclining to sand. This soil attracts moisture, 

 allows free drainage, and admits air. If the soil is cold 

 and stiff, a liberal admixture of leaf -mold and sand, with 

 the addition of manure applied as above described, will 

 be beneficial. The texture of the soil should be such 

 that stagnant water will not remain around the bulbs, 

 as it tends to rot them, particularly when dormant. An 

 excess of humus is, therefore, to be guarded against 



libs. ^Y^ 



the 



exposures. sli:uU' and sim. A .sluull woudnl valluv ur 

 ravine, with a brook flowing through it into an open, 

 moist meadow, affords conditions suitable for growing 

 to perfection the greatest variety of bulbous and other 



plants, many of which cannot be enjoyed in the average 

 monotonous garden. 



The sooner bulbs can be put in the ground after they 

 are ripe the better for the bulbs ; for, no matter how 

 long they will keep, they do not improve when out 

 of the ground, but tend to dry out and lose vitality. 

 There are, however, many reasons why bulbs cannot be 

 planted as soon as ripe ; and when they are to be kept 

 for certain purposes, they should be stored as advised 

 below. Hardy spring-flowering bulbs should be planted 

 in the open ground in the fall, not earlier than six weeks 

 before regular frosty and freezing nights are expected. 

 Plant as much later as necessary, providing the bulbs 

 are keeping sound, but it is not advisable to plant them 

 earlier. Cool weather is necessary to deter top growth, 

 which is very liable to start after four to six weeks of 

 root development ; and young, succulent top growth is 

 apt to be injured by the succeeding freezing. In Maine, 

 Ontario. Wisccmvm, and ether northern parts (about 45 

 degre. - II ■I'll 1 nir i i ^n li li.trdy bulbs as hyacinths, 

 tulip- |ii.iiited In September. In 



New .1. I !■'. etc. (about40 degrees), 



plant Lt, mil. .. .i In the latitude of Rich- 



mond, ij.Hii-.v m. ^1 I, ...11- . t.-., the middle of Novem- 

 ber is early eiioii^Hi In ih. 1 ititude of Raleigh, Nash- 

 ville, and soutli. .1.. ii..t pi ml until middle of December; 

 anil for the latt. i ^i . ti..n I. i tin- selection of bulbs run 

 to late-floweniig i an. ti. s, s,i, b .is lUz.n-re. Darwin and 



ips, late : 

 so likelv 



such as Ron 

 White narci 

 usually thr.. 

 gins. "South 

 bulbs arc n.. 



But the 



. i-ional 

 111 this 

 .' bulbs, 

 1^. Paper 



1 fidiage 

 he bulb 

 isted by 



can supph ; ami this sn-i, n i 



the time the flower-spik. - i. . 



many half-hardy and t. i i ' i ,ire more easily 



grown and flowered ill til -- i m the North. 



The treatment of Imb ii'. i il. . nin^ is important 

 when the bulbs are to be u-.i-.l again. f<ir it must never 

 be forgotten that the flowers and resources for the next 

 season are garnered within the bulb after blooming, 

 through the aeeney of the roots and foliage. Imper- 

 fectly developed an. I iiiatiired fnliaire this v. ar means 

 poor flowers or 11..111 .n -ill n. \t \. u- . s., it is best to 

 leave the bulbs a I.. n. until tb. 1. i\ . s b n ,• ,li, ,1 down. 



is sometimes u. . . ss II X I,, 1, ,ii,A . bnlbsl,,!.,!, rijie. In 

 such cases, thr bull - -li. 'III. I b. . ii.inlh t dx. n up with 

 a spade. Distuib tb. 1 ..t- ,, hiij. 1- i...-sib]i , and do 

 not cut or crnsb tb. I. i\ . - II. . 1 in tb. pi mts in a 

 shallow trench 111 s,,inc Ji.Ul sh.i.h ..nt ..I tin w a\ place 

 until ripe. 



StraniEE- AND Autumn-flowering Garden Bulbs 

 FOR Spring Planting.— This class (Tender) includes 

 some of our showiest garden flowers, which are almost 



indisp, iis.ibl. Tl nil, . I n -t p., ssihle culture. 



Plant. . I 111 tl . . I • ..111 frost is over, 



in a sllnll^ p 1.1^ soil, they will 



flowiT \,iib .1. is..n. Atterflow- 



ering and iipLijui., . L ih. i .. i., , ii.._. should betaken 

 up and stored for the winter as a.lvised below, under 

 "Keeping Dormant Bulbs," until wanted the next spring. 

 Among the more important species of this class of bulbs 

 are the undermenti.med (tliose niarki-d F must be kept 

 in a semi-dorin iiii . i.iii .11 111 . . Mtiame or green- 

 house): Aea]. ' ' iF), amorpho- 

 phallus,anom.ifl I ' nbi-rous begonia. 



-Ii.li..fu's. i.'.ilt'<.nia,Hvn'iiitliiis . ,,1.1 m- , l^.n^singaul- 

 .b- ...iii!li.',!,-alum'(F), pancr'a'tinin. ii.l.n.lii (calla), 

 s. Iii,..sulis iF), sprekelia, tigndi.i. tub. i..-. H.itsonia, 

 i, phNiautbes. 



Bulbs for Plo\veeinq in the House and Green- 

 house.— There is no class of plants that gives more 

 satisfaction for this purpose, with so little skill, than 



