62 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND 



the soil a distance of about one and a half or 

 twice the measurement of their thickness 

 through. A variation of depth in separate 

 bulbs of a sort will nearly always produce a 

 slight variation of time in blossoming. This 

 procedure forms an interesting experiment. 

 Naturally the bulbs should be placed right side 

 up ! The earth placed around them should be 

 free from lumps and carefully firmed down, 

 for the bulbs must be securely set for protec- 

 tion. Loosely planted bulbs seldom thrive. 

 The newly planted bulbs will take root growth 

 through the cool late autumn season. If 

 planted too early their top growth would ad- 

 vance to a point that would subject them to 

 an injury from frost. Lily bulbs (such as 

 those of Auratum and Speciosum) may go 

 into the ground late in August or in Septem- 

 ber. The garden-maker must be guided in 

 these matters as in others by an intuitive sense 

 of the fitness and advancement of the season. 

 Right after the first hard freeze a winter mulch 

 of several inches of dry leaves or boy hay 

 should be given as a protection to those por- 

 tions of the garden where bulbs have been set 

 out. They will, of course, have been marked 



