20 



BULLETIN 962, IT. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



tops cut off and planted at normal depths out of doors to flower the 

 next year. The bulbs are without much doubt weakened by this cut- 

 ting and quick drying off, but they blossom well again in late July 

 in the field and appear to recuperate perfectly in one season. 



In normal vegetative propagation the flowers in the field should be 

 removed when in bud or shortly after they open. If there is a sale 

 for them the individual flower stems 4 to 6 inches long may be safely 

 taken off, in which case the blossoms can be utilized for formal pieces; 

 but no leafage should be removed from the plants. If there is no 

 object in letting the flowers open they can just as well, and more easily, 

 be snapped off in late bud. 



Pig. 9. — A block of about 1.500 niatuve bulbs of the Easter lily being seeded at the 

 Arlington Experimental Farm, Va. In the foreground are seedlings of the current 

 year, Photographed on .luly 7, 1920. 



TIME TO HARVEST FALL-PLANTED STOCKS. 



It must be frankly admitted that the best time to dig the b\ilbs 

 of the Easter lily is not known. It is well known, however, that 

 the period over which they may be dug and good results obtained is 

 longer than with most bulbous plants. 



With bulbous stocks generally the tops are allowed to die down 

 before the plants are dug. but unless a severe drought occurs very 

 few of these lilies will die before frost cuts them down in the fall. 

 In a field planting nearly all the stems are in vegetative vigor 

 when cold weather starts, though a few scattering stems may show 

 signs of maturing. 



Probably the best guide to the time of digging is the formation 

 of the new crown for the next year's growth, but to the uninitiated 

 this may be difficult to interpret properly. At times the abundant 



