18 BULBS AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 



Bulbs Requiring: Periodical Lifting. Ml the 



narcissi grown in borders are best lifted every third or 

 fourth year. If left longer the bulbs are apt to flower 

 sparsely, owing to soil exhaustion and overcrowding by 

 offsets. The bulbs should be lifted in July, when the 

 leaves have quite faded, then be placed in shallow boxes 

 in a cool place till quite dry. Afterwards divest them of 

 dead foliage and offsets, and store in boxes as advised for 

 other bulbs till replanting time. Other genera requiring 

 similar treatment are alliums, brevoortias, brodiaeas, bulbo- 

 codiums, camassias, chionodoxas, colchicums, crocus 

 species, fritillarias, snowdrops, galtonias, hyacinthuses, 

 irises, leucojums, ornithogalums, puschkinias, scillas, and 

 sternbergias. Lilies do not require lifting and transplant- 

 ing so long as they are doing well. In case lifting is 

 necessary, the bulbs of candidum are best lifted and 

 replanted directly after flowering, and the remaining 

 species in November. A golden rule to observe in the 

 case of all bulbs that only need periodical relifting is 

 not to do it oftener than necessary. So long as they grow 

 and flower well leave them alone. 



A Special Note In the case of bulbs naturalised 

 in turf, or in mixed borders, there is no necessity to lift 

 them unless they show signs of deterioration. 



CHAPTER IV. 



BULBS IN BEDS AND BORDERS. 



BULBS, especially those that flower in spring, are popular 

 subjects for bed and border culture in gardens of all dimen- 

 sions. Hyacinths and tulips are particularly well adapted 

 for growing in formal lines or rows, beds, and borders. In 



