Growing Bulbs in the House 



By Nina R. Allen, oh io 



THE SURE ROAD TO SUCCESSFUL CULTIVATION OF BULBS IN POTS, OR 

 IN GLASSES — THE REASONS WHY MANY FAIL TO GET GOOD FLOWERS 



w 



ITH 



time 



This cone covers a hyacinth 

 to help "draw up" the flower 



little 

 to 

 care for 

 house plants, with 

 all their varied re- 

 quirements; with, 

 perhaps, the added 

 disadvantages of a 

 hot-air furnace, the 

 hardy bulbs seem 

 to me more desira- 

 ble for indoor gardening than any other 

 growing things in common use, excepting 

 Pandanus and Araucaria, and like these 

 foliage plants, they will endure conditions 

 that many greenhouse aristocrats find in- 

 tolerable, without either sulking or taking 

 to red spider or some other inglorious means 

 of exit from an unkind world. 



Bulb culture is simple, but there are few 

 points that mean success or failure as they 

 are heeded or disregarded. 



Always buy good bulbs.- It is possible 

 there are bargains in bulbs, but it is better 

 to purchase them of a dealer of known 

 reliability who has a reputation to keep up 

 than to run the risk of failure for the sake 

 of saving a few cents. Then, too, you may 

 select from the seedsman's stock named 

 varieties, and knowing what you have 

 bought not only adds to your pleasure when 

 the blossoms appear, but it is a great ad- 

 vantage when you decide as to next years' 

 purchases. 



FOR EASY SUCCESS 



The bulbs most successfully forced by 

 beginners are these: hyacinths, the Roman 

 and single Dutch; the double narcissus, Van 

 Sion, commonly called double 

 daffodil, and Orange Phoenix; 

 the trumpet narcissus, Giant 

 Princeps, Emperor, Golden Spur, 

 Glory of Leiden, Victoria, Trum- 

 pet Major, and Horsfieldi; the 

 chalice cup narcissus, Incom- 

 parabilis Cynosure and Stella; 

 the poet's narcissus, Ornatus and 

 King Edward VII ; the jonquils. 

 The polyanthus^narcissus, Paper 

 White Grandiflora, Grand Soleil 

 d'Or,and Chinese Sacred Lily are 

 easily managed either in soil or 

 in water with pebbles. The latter 

 way is the one generally chosen 

 by amateurs, both for speed 

 and facility. 



Tulips, as a general thing, are not a wise 

 choice for beginners, but the single, early 

 flowering red-and-yellow Kaiserskroon is 

 not difficult, and as more satisfactory, even 

 among florists, has largely superseded the 

 double tulip, Tournesol, of the same colors, 

 once so popular. The Due Van Thol varie- 

 ties are also recommended for forcing, as 

 being earlier and more tractable than most 

 sorts. These tulips can be had in rich rose- 

 pink, scarlet, and white. If one must have 



some double tulips, let him try Murillo, a 

 lovely light pink, which is forced with com- 

 parative ease even by a tyro. All tulips must 

 be potted early— before the first of November 

 for best results — and they should be kept in 

 the dark for three months if possible, and 

 must develop in a cooler atmosphere than 

 that required for hyacinths and narcissus 

 when brought to the light. 



Lilies-of-the-valley and Easter lilies are 

 perhaps best omitted from the amateur's 

 list until some skill has been acquired from 

 experience, but almost any one can succeed 

 with freesias, delightful Cape bulbs, re- 

 quiring different treatment from these hardy 

 Holland sorts. 



WHY HYACINTHS WIN OUT 



In my opinion, the single varieties of the 

 Dutch hyacinths are far more desirable than 

 the double kinds, as they have not the 

 clumsy, clublike look of the former, due 

 to overcrowding on the spike, while the 

 bell-shaped flower is more beautiful in form 

 than one doubled out of all grace and indi- 

 viduality. 



Bulbs of the first size are preferable, but 

 those of the second, if obtained of a re- 

 liable dealer, will also give good results, and 

 a saving of one third is generally made by 

 their purchase. When buying of a local 

 seedsman, see that the bulbs are firm and 

 heavy for their size. 



Among single white varieties, La Gran- 

 desse, and L'Innocence are worthy sorts, 

 having large trusses of snowy blossoms. 



Cardinal Wiseman is a bright rose-pink 

 of a most lovely shade, entirely lacking the 

 disagreeable tone of the so-called red hya- 



This plant was covered by a 

 pasteboard cone 



The place where the bulbs make their roots: a shaded sheltered spot. The potted bulbs 

 are set in a shallow pit with leaves over them and boards over all 



cinths, some of which recall the reddish-pink 

 of calico seen now only in the patchwork 

 quilts of an elder generation. Gertrude is 

 another good pink of a somewhat lighter 

 shade, while Gigantea is so pale that it is 

 little more than tinted with that delightful 

 color. 



Most of the hyacinths called blue by the 

 dealer appear to me to be purple or lavender, 

 but quibbling as to the color does not seem 

 worth while when their beauty is considered. 



88 



The king-of-the- 

 blues, described as a 

 rich deep blue, is a 

 most beautiful dark 

 shade, whether 

 purple or azure; 

 and Grand Maitre, 

 set forth in some 

 catalogues as deep 

 porcelain-blue, is 

 fine, though to me 



it looks an exquisite lavender. Both of 

 these varieties are strong growers with good 

 trusses of blossoms. Czar Peter is also a 

 fine light sort. 



The yellow hyacinths, even when de- 

 scribed as golden-yellow, as in the case of the 

 King of the Yellows, proved in my hands to 

 be a pale buff. 



General Pelissier, listed as an intense 

 crimson-scarlet, is an example of the red 

 that I find unpleasant, though some may 

 admire it. 



WHEN TO POT BULBS 



The best time to pot bulbs for winter- 

 blooming is in October, preferably as early 

 in the month as possible. This is a general 

 rule. Some sorts may be potted at intervals 

 up to New Year's Day for succession, if they 

 can be kept from making top growth. Paper 

 White narcissus and the sacred lilies can be 

 started in water as late as the middle of 

 January, if the bulbs are in good condition. 

 Nevertheless, October is the best time for 

 potting, just as it is for outdoor planting. 

 It seems to be the natural time for bulbs to 

 go underground; and potted then, they 

 have a sufficiently long period for root 

 growth, and will blossom their 

 finest when we are most eager 

 for flowers. During the months 

 following October, if out of the 

 soil, the bulbs are constantly 

 losing vitality. 



HOW TO POT BULBS 



Earthen pans have a neater ap- 

 pearance than pots, but either 

 will serve. They should be well 

 soaked, if new, and thoroughly 

 scrubbed with strong soap-suds, 

 if old. Provide for good drainage 

 by placing a layer of charcoal 

 broken in small pieces over the 

 bottom, with sphagnum moss 

 above it. The potting soil is 

 important. If it is not loose and fine, 

 hyacinths will not root well, and the flower 

 spikes will then be so short that the 

 blossoms will be down among the leaves, 

 close to the soil. 



If one lives in the city, I think it is ad- 

 visable to buy potting soil of a near-by 

 florist, but if one do prepare it use equal 

 parts of good garden loam, sand, and well- 

 rotted cow-maure. If the latter cannot be 

 obtained, use finely ground bone meal as a 



