First-class flowers from small offsets grown for three years. 
and porous, spade in a lot of well rotted 
manure and mix in plenty of coarse sand. 
Then rake the bed level. If you have only 
a few offsets you can afford the time to stand 
each bulb upright. If you are planting 
hundreds, just spread them broadcast. 
In November, after a heavy frost, put on 
two or three inches of old manure for a win- 
ter mulch. The idea is to get the frost into 
the ground and keep it there with the cover- 
ing. The freezing does not injure the bulbs, 
but the alternate freezing and thawing 
works havoc by rotting and breaking the 
roots. 
In March or early April, or whenever the 
first signs of growth appear, remove the 
mulch gradually to allow the leaves to harden 
off before being exposed to the heat of the 
sun. 
In late April or whenever the flowers begin 
to show color you should separate the whites, 
pinks, purples, and whatever other groups 
you desire. This operation cannot be per- 
Bulbs and offsets after summer storage 
formed as easily and certainly at planting 
time as at flowering time. You can mark 
them with thread or yarn, but the best 
way is to raise each odd tulip with a trowel 
and place it with its proper color. In doing 
pi 
First-class flowers from large offsets cultivated only 
two years. Vase ten inches high 
this you must take plenty of earth with the 
bulb, driving the trowel well into the ground. 
Just as soon as you are certain of the color, 
cut off the flower. Never let it expand or 
the growing bulb will be checked by wasting 
a part of its strength on a small flower. 
In May you must take up the bulbs and 
store them in a dry, cool, airy place to ripen. 
Let them stay in the ground until the leaves 
have withered, even if it makes an unsightly 
spot throughout the whole month of May. 
Now comes the most important thing— 
the summer storage. All your work will be 
wasted if you do not attend to this properly. 
You can store them in boxes or on shelves 
or on the floor of the attic or other convenient 
191 
Ordinarily these offsets are thrown away or amount to nothing. 
KeizersKroon and PottebaKKer White 
place which you are absolutely sure is per- 
fectly dry and has a free circulation of air. 
If you have to store your tulips in boxes you 
can save room by piling one upon the other, 
but you must be sure to leave a space of at 
least four inches between the boxes to allow 
the air to circulate. And don’t forget the 
bulbs during the summer months. Look 
them over occasionally to determine their 
condition. ‘This inspection will often save 
many bulbs, for in spite of the most perfect 
conditions rot will sometimes commence in 
some of the bulbs and unless this is discovered 
in time it will spread rapidly and ruin your 
most precious bulbs, to your heart-breaking 
sorrow. 
The smallest ottsets cultivated one year produced 
these flowers. Though astonishingly large, compared 
with the bulbs, they are not full-sized 
