OCTOBBB 27, 1910. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



11 



HABDY BULB BEDDING. 



Its Increasing Importance. 



There are a great many florists who 

 ileal directly with the public who have 

 uot yet taken advantage of the pos- 

 ijiibilities of doing profitable business 

 with the fall planting of bulb beds — 

 they haven't awakened to the really 

 wonderful growth of this branch of bed- 

 ding in recent years. The better class 

 of customers now plant their beds of 

 bulbs just as regularly as they have 

 them filled with geraniums, etc., for 

 summer, and the average householder, 

 even tenant, plants a few bulbs at least 

 jilong the border in front of the porch. 

 Where the sale for bulbs for forcing 

 has shown no great increase the last 

 few years, the sale of the popular bed- 

 ding varieties for fall planting has in- 

 creased at a truly wonderful rate. Many 

 Horists share in the business, but more 

 could do so if they would seek the or- 

 ilers; it can be worked up with rather 

 less effort than any other part of the 

 business of the man whose specialty is 

 spring bedding. 



Time and Place to Plant. 



From the latter part of October until 

 the end of November is the best period 

 in which to plant tulips, hyacinths, nar- 

 cissi, crocuses and other hardy Dutch 

 bulbs. The early date answers well in 

 the colder states, but a later date is 

 better farther south. Even in northern 

 iVew England bulb planting can be done 

 iu December, but it is not advisable to 

 wait so late, as the roots lose consider- 

 able vitality by being kept so long out 

 Lif the soil. 



Practically all bulbs like well drained 

 soil, a possible exception being Nar- 

 cissus poeticus, which thrives better in 

 moist ground, such as on the edge of 

 ponds and streams, or even on low, 

 marshy land. Any beds with twelve to 

 eighteen inches depth of good soil will 

 glow fine bulbs. It is not necessary to 

 tlig out three feet deep, as is sometimes 

 advised. Avoid fresh manure at all 

 times, but use plenty if well decayed. 

 If the soil is naturally heavy, add some 

 "liarp sand or fine ashes. 



There is a tendency to cover bulbs 

 insufficiently. For hyacinths four 

 inches is better than two. For such 

 large-bulbed narcissi as Emperor, Vic- 

 toria and Sir Watkin, five inches is 

 none too much. Smaller ones can be 

 covered three to four inches. Tulips 

 are better covered four to five inches. 

 They are then less affected by dry 

 weather, which frequently arrives soon 

 after the ground has thawed out. Cro- 

 t^uses, scillas, chionodoxa and other 

 Somali bulbs, if covered two and one-half 

 to three inches, will be all right. The 

 more shallow bulbs are planted, the 

 greater the likelihood of their being 

 lifted out or loosened by late freezings 



and thawings, especially if the winter 

 mulch has been permanently removed. 



Some Good Tulips. 



Tulips remain far the most popular of 

 hardy spring flowering bulbs for bed- 

 ding. There is such an immense color 

 range in them that almost any desirable 

 shade is obtainable. It is pleasing to 

 see that the call for soft and delicate 

 combinations and harmonious blendings 

 is fast displacing the haphazard plant- 

 ing of loud masses of color, which are 

 neither pleasing nor satisfying. A se- 

 lection of the best early tulips, which 

 comprises the sorts which have been 

 proved and tested, is as follows: 



Pure white — Joost von Vondol, Pot- 

 tebakker, "White Swan, Queen Victoria 

 (La Keine). 



Yellow — Chrysolora, Mon Tresor, 

 Ophir d'Or. 



Pink — Cottage Maid, Pink Beauty, 

 Queen of the Netherlands. 



Orange — Prince of Austria, Thomas 

 Moore. 



Eose — Proserpine, Eose Luisante. 



Eed and scarlet — Eembrandt, Vermil- 

 ion Brilliant, Sir Thomas Lipton, Maes. 



Crimson — Couleur Cardinal, Dussart. 



Eed and yellow — Keizerskroon. 



Eed and white — Joost von Vondel. 



While a mixed bed of tulips makes a 

 beautiful show, especially if purple 

 shades are omitted, it is in beds of one 

 solid color that they are far the most 

 effective. The following are fine for 

 this purpose: Joost Von Vondel, white; 

 White Pottebakker, Pink Beauty, Cou- 

 leur Cardinal, Keizerskroon, Proserpine, 



Chrysolora, Cottage Maid, Thomas 

 Moore and Vermilion Brilliant. Joost 

 von Vondel is the finest white tulip, 

 but costs somewhat more than others 

 of the same color. It is somewhat 

 dwarfer than White Pottebakker, which 

 immediately follows. White Swan is 

 the latest of the early tulips, but a fine 

 variety. Pink Beauty and Queen of the 

 Netherlands are much cheaper than 

 they were, but still somewhat high 

 priced; both are superb sorts. The first 

 named is used in thousands in the Bos- 

 ton Public Gardens, where it is always 

 greatly admired. 



Combination of Varieties. 



Some people prefer beds or borders 

 planted in lines, circles or blocks of dif- 

 ferent colors. High colors, like the 

 reds, crimsons and red and yellows, 

 should always be kept for distant ef- 

 fects. Their shades are too intense at 

 close range. Purple and maroon shades, 

 if used at all, should be with golden 

 yellows. Circular beds look well, if 

 quartered, and two varieties only used. 

 Sir Thomas Lipton associated with 

 white Joost von Vondel is fine; so are 

 the white and scarlet Pottebakkers. If 

 distinct colors are wanted in the four 

 quarters, try Chrysolora, Cottage Maid, 

 white Joost von Vondel and Belle Alli- 

 ance. A good effect may also be had by 

 planting a circle in the center with, say, 

 Chrysolora or White Pottebakker and 

 having a broad band of Sir Thomas 

 Lipton or Maes around it. If the same 

 bed is divided for three colors, try 

 Chrysolora in the center, then a band 



Bulb Bedding is Having: a Great Increase in Favor. 



