r;>7' 



August 18, 1904. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



593 



AMERICAN BULB GROWING. 



BY QEOBOK KLBHM, ABUNOTON HEIGHTS, ILL. 



[Read before the Society of American Florists 

 at St. Louis, August 17, 1904.] 



Our experience in the cultivation of 

 bulbs on a moderate scale at Arlington 

 Heights, 111., began in 1885, with the 

 ordinary kinds of tulips which are used 

 for forcing purposes, together with 

 about half a dozen kinds of narcissus. 



We selected a low, well drained, deep 

 black loam for the purpose. The ground 

 was heavily manured in April with the 

 ordinary manure from the horses and 

 cows, deeply plowed and kept cultivated 

 during the summer, until the middle of 

 August, when planting commenced, and 

 by the first of September was finished. 

 In the beginning we grew everything in 

 long rows fifteen inches apart, and bulbs 

 of the first size were spaced three inches. 

 Afterward we changed to growing in 

 beds four feet wide with rows nine 

 inches apart and spaced three inches, that 

 is, for the first size. The stock was 

 graded into firsts, seconds and thirds. 

 The average depth when planted would 

 be three inches to the top of the bulb. 

 Just before Thanksgiving day a mulch- 

 ing of short manure, three inches thick, 

 wns spread evenly over the whole sur- 

 face, about a third of which was re- 

 moved in the first week of April. 



The flowers were all removed just be- 

 fore opening, care being taken to leave 

 the stems as long as possible. The 

 growth was encouraged and maintained 

 so as to ripen the bulbs thoroughly be- 

 fore digging. Some kinds, such as Ar- 

 tus. Due Van Thol, La Eeine and Pot- 

 tebakker, occasionally suffered in the 

 hot spells of weather which often hap- 

 pen in early May, while such kinds as 

 EAizerskroon, Cottage Maid and Yellow 

 Prince were not in the least affected. 

 Neither were the Parrots, Gloria Soils, 

 (Jesneriana, or the other species we grew. 

 After digging, the bulbs were put in 

 trays about three inches thick and placed 

 in an open shed until dry, when they 

 were cleaned, graded and placed in dark 

 storage till planting time. 



As regards the size and quality of the 

 bulbs, compared with those imported, 

 the majority of the varieties did not 

 produce as large bulbs, but in the earli- 

 ness and ease of forcing the size of the 

 flower and length of the stem when 

 grown under the same conditions, but 

 little if any differences were observa- 

 ble. Our crops of bulbs for several years 

 averaged more than 100,000. 



Of the narcissus we grew the double 

 varieties, as Von Sion, Orange and Sul- 

 phur Phoenix and Poeticus. Of the sin- 

 gle, Bicolor, Tenby, early and late Poet- 

 icus and jonquils. These were given 

 about the same treatment as the tulips, 

 except that as a rule they were not taken 

 out of the soil until about the first of 

 July, when the largest bulbs were se- 

 lected for forcing and the smaller ones 

 were planted after the tulips. For some 

 years we grew quantities of Von Sion 

 and the single poeticus for cutting out 

 f f doors. Some years they were profita- 

 ble enough; other years they did not 

 more than clear expenses. 



We have been growing lily of the val- 

 ley extensively for ten years. They are 

 planted in heavily manured ground, as 

 soon as the spring opens, in rows two 

 feet apart and the pips are spaced two 

 inches. They are cultivated and kept 

 free from weeds for three seasons and 

 lioavily mulched with manure each fall 

 about the first of December. As soon 



i)f the foliage ripens, or after the first 

 frost, about the first of October, they 

 are plowed out about five inches deep 

 and shaken out with forks, then carted 

 into a shed open on all sides, but with a 

 tight roof. After lying thinly for a 

 few days, they are turned over aiid after- 

 wards sorted into first size for forc- 

 ing, and second and third for planting. 

 Our first planting for forcing commences 

 the first of December, when we have our 

 first crop of flowers at Christmas. And, 

 c(»ntrary to newly imported pips, those 

 of our own growing give abundant foli- 

 age at all times, and the quality of the 

 flowers, both in size and substance and 

 the number of bells, far surpass any 

 imported. The price realized is on an 

 average one-third more, and sometimes 

 one-half more, than can be obtained for 

 the general kind of lily of the valley. 



We have discontinued the growing of 

 tulips and narcissi for several reasons. 

 The demand for flowers from forced 

 bulbs has materially decreased during 

 the last eight years and the decrease in 

 prices consequently followed. The rapid 

 increase of our nursery business demands 

 all our attention. The price of labor, 

 together with the difficulty in obtaining 

 that of reliability, are the principal rea- 

 sons for our not continuing the work. 

 We aro satisfied, however, that where 

 suitable land can be had and where ma- 

 nure and labor can be readily obtained, 

 tulips and narcissi can be made to yield 

 a moderate profit. 



THE IDEAL EMPLOYE. 



We regret very much that we are not 

 able to present the very interesfing es- 



say, * ' Thei Ideal Employe, ' ' not having 

 received same, although a copy was re- 

 quested. 



INDOOR BLOOMING PLANTS. 



BY J. A. PETKESON, CINCINNATI, OHIO. 



[Head before the Society of American Flor- 

 ists at St. Louis, August 18, 1904.] 



The subject assigned to me is indeed 

 a very exhaustive one, to which I do 

 not feel able to do justice before such an 

 intelligent body as the Society of Amer- 

 ican Florists and Ornamental Horticul- 

 turists. I will therefore confine myself 

 to a few plants, of which I make a 

 specialty, and which I hope will be ac- 

 ceptable. And first on my list, because 

 of its popularity, I will place Hydrangea 

 Otaksa. 



Hydrangea Otaksa. 



This is, perhaps, next to the Easter 

 lily, one of the most popular as well as 

 one of the most profitable plants grown 

 for the Easter trade. Outside of being 

 an enormous water-drinker, it is of very 

 easy culture. As a decorative plant it 

 has few equals; as an outdoor decorative 

 plant, and for porches, it lasts longer in 

 bloom and gives better satisfaction than 

 any other flowering plant. 



Plants for forcing, to be most success- 

 ful, if you desire fine specimens, should 

 be grown in pots. Propagate from the 

 young, soft, side shoots, or those that 

 come from the bottom of the plant, as 

 early as January, February or March. 

 They may also be propagated later in the 

 season, as late as June or July, if you 

 desire single plants with only one bloom. 

 More bushy plants are, however, prefer- 

 able, as your customers will seldom be. 



A Malformed Spike of Digitalis Purpurea. 

 (MonBtrosltles are common In this genus, but seldom is a freak so well pictured.) 



