5 ppoip5; usually 



194 BULBS 



proper size. The commoner varie 

 propagate the fastest, and it i 

 salable varieties and inferior sirdimL- :,i,,i miiiugs 

 from the named bulbs that go to II ruixed 



colors" and "mixed varieties." '11 : i in ^t re- 



sults, it is advisable to expend a L'i\ ■ n niMiiiit .,r money 

 for the first size named varieties, r.-itlier tlian for a 

 larger quantity of cheaper seconds and mixtures, unless, 

 of course, the bulbs are wanted for large permanent 

 plantings, as in promiscuous borders for naturalizing, 

 etc., where best fl.jwir.s the fir-^t season are of secondary 

 consideration. 



The best namr.l liyariiitl,~-"top roots," as they are 

 called in Hollaii.l-ir,|uir. Iroin four to six vea'rs to 

 attain full size ami t'ive best tluwor*. Sn.-li l.^'ill.s, ac- 

 cording to the variety, should di.,,- .. ti-." m t.. 24 

 centimeters (8 to 10 in.) in circun : I , nat- 



urally cost more to grow than tin _ ,,ri.l or 



"bedding "grade of bulbs, measuriii,- 1 1 ■ m I - '. L'li cen- 

 timeters (6 to 8 in.). There is athird size, r;inj,'ing from 

 16 to 18 centimeters (4 to 6 in.), that goes in mixtures, 

 and a fourth size (12 to 14 centimeters) that goes out as 

 "Dutch Romans," "Pan Hyacinths," "Miniatures," etc. 

 Some growers even scale their sizes a centimeter or two 

 less than mentioned, to enable them to quote lower 

 prices. Crocus, narcissus, tulips and many other bulbs 

 are also sorted into sizes, enabling the grower to catch 

 all classes of buyers. 



A first-size crocus bulb should measure 10 centimeters 

 (4 in.) in circumference, and such bulbs produce from 

 6 to 12 flowers each. A small, cheap bulb produces only 

 two or three flowers. A narcissus bulb of maximum 

 size will produce from 3 to 5 flowers (sometimes more), 

 and an inferior size usually but a single flower. A 

 White Roman hyacinth bulb 14- to 16-centimeter size 

 (5-6 in. circumference) will produce 3 and often 4 spikes 

 of firsts and several seconds, while an 11- to 12-cciiii 

 meter size will average only one first grade spike ;ir,.l , 

 couple of seconds, or perhaps nothing but seconds. I 



best lily-of-the-valley pips bear from 12 to 16 bells 



spike, usually all firsts. Cheaper inferior grades of pips 

 have seldom more than 7 to 10 bells. If the florist or 

 planter wants the best bulbs, he must pay more money 

 for them, but they are cheapest in the end, for second- 

 grade stock takes up just as much room and requires as 

 much care, fire, and other expenses. It is the grade of 

 flowers called firsts that sell and pay a profibi The supply 

 of seconds is often so abundant that the market price 

 for them does not pay the cost of the bulbs. 



C.\T\i.,H.\ i; .,F BrLBS.— To aid in the selection of bulbs 

 t'"' pHii. iil.ir purposes, we append a list of the leading 

 -I'M - tii.,1 I,,, procurable while dormant (between the 

 iii..iiili~ ~|M , iii.il) from seedsmen and bulb dealers, and 

 u c allix a sih'ii to each to indicate the purpose for which 

 the species — or certain varieties in it— are adapted. Some 



eful for more tha 



and such 



of bulbs is to be made for winter-flowering 

 <■. make a note of those to which an aste- 

 llixcd, then turn to their respective headings 

 "pc ilia, where will be found full descriptions 

 t h s as well as species — and cultural Instruc- 

 1 1 \\ i 1 1 enable any one to make an intelligent 



' ' ' ring bulbs for greenhouse or wiiidnir. select 



• in,l fn/l-flnwering bulbs for pots for greenhouse 



■ ■I'ffn',: , s, i.rt from species marked +. 



'' ' ' " ' I rtbibulbsforgardensjavms, etc., select 



■ r ,;,,,( i>'i! fhiwering hardy bulbs for gardens, 

 '•'■' '•■ :" .w. .■!,■,« marked II. 



• ' ' •''""■ering (not hardy) bulbs for spring 

 ' •' rt from species marked ^. 



• 'lis, select from species iruirked'i. 

 I "■hi: B.B, half-hardy ; t, tender. 



HAEDISESS. 



Abobrallg 



Achimenes t 



Agapanthus 1 8 



Albueat 



AUium»t 



Alstroemeria t § 



Amaryllis't 



Amorphophallus § . 



...Oct, to April 

 ...Oct. to April 

 ...Oct. to April 

 ...Oct.to.-^pril 

 ...Ang. to Dec. 

 ...Sept.toKov. 

 ) April 

 > April 



BlooniiTKi ;.... 



Boussineaultia' 

 Bowieaft 



Brodi»a * j 



Bulbocodium X. 

 Caladium t § . . . 

 Calochortus * J. 



Cooperia ^ . 

 Corydalis II. 

 Crinum t § . 

 Crocus * t . . 



CypeUai., 

 Cyrtanthus 

 Dahlias §.. 



Dicentrat 



■T Oct.ti. Ai.ril 



• T Oct.toAiuil 



•H Oct. f.i .March 



• H Oct.toAprU 



.H Aug. to Oct. 



• H.H Oct.toAprU 



• H Aug. to Nov. 



• T Sept. to Dec. 



■ T n,t t,.:\i:,rcii 



Fritillaria*t 



Galanthus * J 



Galtonia? 



Geissorhizat 



Gesnera * t 



Gladiolus? 



Gloriosallt 



Gloxinia t 



Griffiuiat 



Ha>mnnthust ... 



Helleborus: 



Hemerocallis II . . . 



Honieria g 



Hyacinth*} 



Hymenocallis g t. 

 Imantophylliim t 

 Iris. Bulbous * t . 

 Iris, Rh 



Ismenegt 



Ixia* 



IxioUrion J . . 

 Jonquils * t . . , 

 Lachenalia *. . 

 Leueojum t i.- 



Lilium * II 



Lycoris? t 



MiUag 



Montbretia I . , 

 Muscaria t . . . , 

 NiBgelia*t... 



Nerinet 



Ornithogalum * § 



Oxalis, Winter-flowering * t. . 

 Oxalis, for borders i 



Pancratium f § 



Phaedranassa * 



Polygonatum H 



Puschkiniat 



Ranunculus * 



Richardia * + ? 



RigideUa? 



Sanguinaria X 



SchizostyUs * ? 



..■\ug. toiVov. 

 .Oct. to Apiil 

 .Oct.toAprU 

 .Aug. to Nov. 

 .Oct. to April 

 .Oct.toAprU 



.Aug. to Nov. 

 .Aug. to Oct. 

 .Aug. to Oct. 



J April 

 ) April 



.Oct. t 



