PRODUCTION OF TULIP BULBS. 29 



is fitted a bottomless cloth tube (usually an old sack). By proper 

 manipulation of this screen-bottomed box on its support, the contents 

 can be "jerked" out of this opening, upon the removal of the slide 

 partition, without touching the bulbs by hand. In this way the 

 bulbs are mechanically and expeditiously transferred to the lug 

 boxes with a minimum of labor. 



A modification of this shaker is often employed. This consists 

 essentially in dispensing with the frame and mounting the screen- 

 bottomed shallow box on a piece of pipe between two supports, so 

 that when empty it just tilts toward the operator, and the near end 

 is supported by a short stick which holds it at a small angle with 

 the horizontal. A bushel of bulbs is oscillated back and forth by 

 rotating the box through a small arc on the pipe support. This 

 is the form of machine generally used by Hollanders in this country. 



Digging spades. — While there are no tools on the market adapted 

 to bulb digging, it is possible to remodel tools to serve the purpose. 

 (PI. X, Fig. 4.) A boy's spade with the handle cut down to 16 inches 

 makes a very serviceable tool. This is done by setting the D 

 handle lower down, or by simply cutting off the handle at the proper 

 length and attaching a crosspiece in the form of a T for a handhold. 

 This makes a spade about 22 to 24 inches over all. 



The main requirements for this tool are that the blade be flat and the 

 handle as nearly straight as possible. This spade is never used to lift 

 the soil, but simply to pull it toward the workman. To do this it is 

 necessary to have the blade flat on account of the small space between 

 the rows. Otherwise, there is greater danger of cutting the bulbs. 



Planting boxes. — In the field at planting time it is necessary to have 

 small, light, shallow boxes holding 4 to 6 quarts of bulbs. (PL VI, 

 Fig. 2.) These are especially useful in planting the smaller sizes, as 

 it is not profitable to strew them along the beds from the lug boxes 

 as is done with the larger bulbs. With us, these are made of three- 

 eighths and one-half inch light wood and are 12 by 12 inches and 

 3 inches deep, inside measurements. These should be well and 

 smoothly made and light. 



Scoops. — Scoops are essentially pouring vessels, but are also very 

 useful on the tables at cleaning time to receive the bulbs as they are 

 cleaned. They are made as shown in Plate XIII, Figure 1. They are 

 useful in various sizes, from a peck to a half bushel. 



Sizers. — The most common sizer (PL X, Fig. 3; PL XV, Fig. 1) 

 used for moderate quantities of tulips is a circular, sievelike instru- 

 ment, with a bottom of rawhide in which are cut holes of definite 

 3ircumference. In some cases wire screens are used for this purpose, 

 but the bulbs are much less likely to be bruised by rawhide. 



Another tuhp sizer is shown in Plate XV, Figure 2. This is essen- 

 tially a chute or inclined plane made up of sections of paraUel gratings. 



