20 



BULLETIN 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the date of flowering. Flowers from Bellingham-grown bulbs were 

 cut on February 1G and from imported bulbs on February 21 and 

 -2-2. 1013. The results of the forcing tests of the season of 1912-13 

 verify those secured out of doors in 1910 and 1911. 



Fig. 20. — Flats of imported and Bellingham-grown tulips. The two flats on the left 

 contain imported bulbs ; the two on the right, bulbs grown at the United States 

 Bulb Garden. Both lots are of the Couleur Cardinal variety planted October 30, 

 1012, and both received the same treatment. They were brought into the green- 

 houses of the Department of Agriculture and photographed on January 25, 1013. 



The bulbs used in these tests were not selected, but were the ordi- 

 nary run of what is considered commercial stock. That these tests 

 do not absolutely establish the superiority of Bellingham-grown 

 tulips oyer imported stock is realized, and other tests will have to 

 be made in order to determine beyond question whether or not 



Fig. 21. — Imported and Bellingham-grown tulips in flower. This illustration shows 

 the condition of the plants from imported and Bellingham-grown bulbs of the 

 Couleur Cardinal variety just 32 days after they were taken into the greenhouse of 

 the United Staffs Department of Agriculture. The plants from imported bulbs in 

 the two flats on the left range from 3 to inches to the top of the flowers. The 

 few flowers that are in bloom are too short stemmed to be of any commercial value. 

 The plants from the Bellingham-grown bulbs in the flats on the right range from 

 8 to 11 inches to the top of the flowers. Practically all of the latter plants are 

 in full bloom, and 00 per cent of them are of commercial value. 



American-grown tulips and narcissuses when forced or growing out 

 of doors will produce better and healthier plants and yield earlier 

 and larger flowers on longer and stronger stems than the same 

 varieties grown in the Netherlands. 



