32 BULLETIN 797, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEB. 



and the third, to keep the atmosphere moist. A little experience will 

 enable one to meet the first condition, but our American homes are 

 usually both too hot and too dry for the best growth of bulbs. The 

 heat requirement can be met by selecting, preferably, an east window 

 away from radiators or heating pipes; by covering the soil in the 

 pots with either commercial moss or living moss from the woods 

 greater evaporation will be induced. Avoid haste to get the flowers 

 into blossom. Indeed, very good advice to one without experience is 

 not to attempt to bring forced bulbs into flower earlier than the 

 middle or, better, the last of February. As experience is gained the 

 time can be shortened. Another good piece of advice is to give the 

 bulbs not less than eight weeks for rooting and then to bring them 

 into a cool cellar and introduce them to heat gradually. 



Good garden soil will generally be used by the housewife for pots 

 containing bulbs. Well-rotted manure and sand or decayed turfy 

 loam and a little bone meal may be profitably employed if the garden 

 soil is poor. It should be borne in mind, though, that the three con-" 

 ditions just sxDecifiecl are of even greater importance for the flowering 

 of the bulbs than an abundance of plant food, which is of more 

 service in building up the bulbs for the succeeding year's perform- 

 ance. 



After the bulbs are potted they are usually buried out of doors or 

 covered with earth, litter, ashes, etc., for a period of 8 or, preferably, 

 10 weeks, where they will be kept cool and moist and prevented from 

 freezing. When the roots are sufficiently developed they are brought 

 into a cool cellar for 10 days or two weeks and then into the living 

 room, thus coming into heat gradually. 



In writing directions for amateur bulb growers it is customary to 

 insist on good drainage in the pot culture of bulbs in earth and then 

 in the same breath to advise growing them in water without any 

 drainage. This latter method is successful with many varieties. To 

 assist in keeping the bulbs in place in bowls in water without drain- 

 age, gravel, pebbles, coal, or sphagnum moss are used, and it is de- 

 sirable to add charcoal and crushed oyster shells or a little coarsely 

 ground bone. After the roots begin to form, the bowl is easily in- 

 verted by holding the hand under it to drain out the water. This 

 change of water should take place weekly at least. The same pre- 

 cautions are necessary to have the bulbs well rooted before they are 

 brought into heat. The rooting can take place in a cool dark cellar, 

 attic, or any other suitable and convenient situation. The plants 

 most commonly grown in this way are the Chinese sacred lily, Paper- 

 AA'hite narcissus, and hyacinths, although many varieties of tulips 

 and species of other genera succeed. It takes more experience and 

 care to force tulips than varieties of the other two genera. 



