1 88 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



be used for this. It should be four to six inches deep. 

 What is this done for ? It is to keep the temperature even, 

 so the ground will not thaw out and freeze again when the 

 weather changes. In early spring, will the ground under 

 the straw thaw out as soon as uncovered soil? Will this 

 keep the plants from starting to grow early in the spring ? 

 This is what we want. If they were left uncovered the first 

 warm weather would start the plants to growing so rapidly 

 that they would be likely to get nipped by the later frosts. 



The cover should be taken off gradually early in April. 

 It should all be off before the shoot appears above the 

 ground. When does the first bud appear? Watch the 

 growth and development of the shoot. How many leaves 

 has it? How do they unfold? Where does the flower 

 stem appear ? How long after the bud appears above the 

 ground until the plant is in flower ? 



When the leaves begin to die, the bulbs may be dug up 

 and kept in a dry place for the summer. If you wish to 

 make a permanent bed plant the bulbs an inch or two 

 deeper. When the leaves begin to die, cut them off. 

 Seeds of annuals may now be planted in the bed without 

 injuring the bulb in any way. 



If the making of bulb gardens does not seem practicable, 

 the growing of bulbs need not be given up altogether. 

 They may be planted in pots or cans and made to bloom 

 in the house any time during the winter or early spring. 

 Even if bulbs are planted out of doors, every school should 

 try to force a few bulbs for winter blooming. 



Tulips, hyacinths, and narcissuses are all good bulbs, 

 for forcing. The bulbs should be planted the latter part 

 of October or early in November. Prepare the soil as you 



