28 BULBS AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 



To secure the most pleasing effect when the bulbs are in 

 flower, simply scatter them as you would seeds, and then 

 plant them just where they lie. Never arrange them in 

 a set pattern. Take an object lesson from Nature, and 

 note the way she scatters her primroses on hedge bank or 

 in copse, or the daisies in the meadow. Of course, in a 

 very small garden the bulbs may be grouped in patches of 

 a dozen or so. Bulbs like those of the daffodil should be 

 planted about four inches, and smaller ones, like snow- 

 drops, three inches deep. Ues a dibber for making the 

 holes, one with not too sharp a point. If a pointed dibber 

 be used, put a pinch of soil in each hole for the bulb to rest 

 on. Messrs. Barr and Son, bulb specialists, make a spe- 

 cial tool for planting bulbs which is infinitely superior 

 to the dibber. Where only a limited quantity of bulbs are 

 to be planted lift the turf, fork up the soil and plant the 

 bulbs, then replace the turf. It is not possible, of course, 

 to scatter the bulbs on a sloping terrace bank. In this 

 case, simply plant the bulbs a few inches apart, and 

 thicker in some places than others. 



Suitable bulbs and tubers to grow in the manner de- 

 scribed anywhere on the lawn are: Bulbs: Snowdrops, 

 crocuses, chionodoxas, scillas, muscaris, leucojums, daffo- 

 dils, Brodiaea violacea, erythroniums, and tulips. Tubers: 

 Cyclamen and winter aconite. See pp. 43 to 76. 



Bulbs in Pastures. As previously explained, bulbs 

 and tubers may be grown in meadows, pastures, or grass 

 orchards, out of which cattle are kept during the flowering 

 period. We know of no phase of floral beauty so attrac- 

 tive as bold masses of fritillarias, tulips, narcissi, crocuses, 

 snowdrops, Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalums), chiono- 

 doxas, colchicums, Hyacinthus amethystinus and azureus, 

 leucojums, Muscari conicum (Heavenly Blue), Scilla his- 

 panica and sibirica, in flower during the springtime. If 

 the grass be left uncut till mid-July the bulbs will rapidly 

 increase and produce a wealth of colour, the beauty of 



