28 BULLETIlSr 1082, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



representing a variety sized as they are to be planted. The con- 

 tainers for this work may be any suitable receptacles. It is the 

 practice of the Bureau of Plant Industry to use lug boxes, tubs, and 

 sacks, according to the quantity of each size planted. In commercial! 

 work, where the number of varieties is reduced to a minimum, this 

 matter is very much simplified. 



IMPLEMENTS OF TULIP-BULB PRODUCTION. 



Ordinary farm tools suffice to put the land in condition for tulip 

 culture. A plow, harrow, disk, rolling-disk packer pulverizer, and 

 at times graders and ditchers are the implements employed. 



The special tools are few in number and simple in construction 

 Usually they can not be bought ready made in this country, but 

 must be homemade or made to order. Such tools, however, present 

 no difficulties which any carpenter or blacksmith can not overcome. 



Marker. — The marker (PL VI) is essentially a revolving drum, so 

 constructed that it marks the center and margins of a 3-foot bed, 

 together with rows 6 inches apart across the bed. It is a simple im- 

 plement, having solid circular ends of wood 18 inches in diameter, 

 these being held in place by slats set in the periphery 6 inches apart, 

 for marking the rows. Another board wheel into which the cross 

 slats are mortised is placed in the center of this roller marker foi 

 rigidity. Then by binding over the end and center wheels with a hoop, 

 which may be one-fourth to one-half inch thick, the center and mar- 

 gins of the bed are marked with longitudinal lines. Through th( 

 center runs an axle, to which the operating handles are attached 



Screens. — Screens for removing the loose dirt at the time of digging 

 are indispensable in any considerable operation in bulb cultm-e 

 They are simply rectangular shallow boxes 14 by 22 inches in size 

 and 4 inches deep with galvanized-wire bottoms. A mesh of one 

 fourth inch is the most serviceable for tulips. (See PI. IX, Fig. 1.' 



The ends of these trays are reinforced with an extra thickness o: 

 board. This gives greater rigidity and allows for the constructioi 

 of a handhold without impairing the safety of the contents while the 

 sieve is operated. , 



Besides these hand screens, which are used for small and moderatt 

 quantities of tulips, there are larger machines, usually spoken of as 

 shakers. They are rectangular boxes mounted on a frame in sue! 

 a way that the contents may be agitated vigorously to remove dirt 

 They handle about a bushel of bulbs. This machine, well iQustratec 

 in Plate IX, Figure 2, consists of a rectangular tray, like the small han( 

 sieve, but the box is 2 feet 4 inches wide, 6 feet long, and 8 inchei 

 deep. It also has a ^-inch wire-mesh bottom. About 15 inches fron 

 one end there is inserted a removable slide partition, and the win 

 bottom terminates at the slide. Over the opening back of the slidi 



