COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION 71 



be such that they may be placed on the green- 

 house bench without loss of room. A flat of 

 the dimensions given will hold 36 to 48 bulbs, 

 according to size, allowing a space of from 

 1-2 inch to i inch between bulbs, which is 

 sufficient. The reason for using flats is to 

 economise space, enabling one-third more 

 bulbs to be grown to a square foot of bench 

 than could be done in pots or pans. The flow- 

 ers produced in flats are exclusively for cut- 

 ting and they are nearly as good as those pro- 

 duced in any other way. 



The flat should have a few holes or a 

 couple of slits or cracks in the bottom to 

 permit free drainage, these openings being 

 covered with moss, fibre, or the fibrous roots 

 from old sod to prevent soil from washing out. 

 Put over this an inch of the prepared soil and 

 set in the bulbs, using, of course, only one va- 

 riety to a flat. Fill in with more mould to 

 within half an inch of the top of the flat ; give 

 a good watering if the soil is dry and place 

 preferably in an uncovered frame. Fin- 

 ally cover the flats with old leaf mould, ashes, 

 tanbark, or soil to a depth of three or four 

 inches. 



