390 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



October, 1908 



Indoor Bulb Culture 



By S. Leonard Rastin 



A MATTER of primary im- 

 portance is the making sure 

 k that the bulbs are pur- 

 chased in the right way. 

 Not only in the case of some kinds 

 is early planting strongly to be 

 recommended, but during the early 

 days of the buying season one will 

 stand a much better chance of se- 

 curing the cream of the dealer's 

 stock. Make certain that the bulbs 

 you buy are really good. Of 

 course, the best safeguard is to go 

 to a reliable firm whose name stands 

 for straight dealing, bearing in 

 mind that for a good article one 

 must pay a fair price. There are 

 many establishments at the present 

 time whose practise it is to adver- 

 tise bulbs at a very low price in 

 order to catch trade. This stuff 



should be avoided at all costs, as the results from material 

 of third rate nature are always disappointing. It is not worth 

 while cherishing bulbs in pots which only blossom in a half- 

 hearted way, or perhaps do not flower at all. Mere size in 



A Cut Bulb, Showing the "Heart" 



or two open and see whether they 

 have good "hearts." The need of 

 getting good bulbs is rather strik- 

 ingly brought home by an accom- 

 panying illustration. Here are 

 shown two Roman hyacinths, both 

 bulbs looking much alike externally, 

 but totally different when they 

 came to flower. In the case of the 

 fine specimen, six or eight blossoms 

 have been produced, while the 

 other example has developed but 

 one. It will be realized that the 

 first-named is worth more than 

 double the third rate bulb, and even 

 then one has splendid value for 

 the money. 



Broadly speaking, almost any 

 of the spring flowering bulbs may 

 be grown successfully in an apart- 

 ment. Naturally some kinds are 

 better than others, and in the front rank of suitable sorts must 

 be placed the hyacinths, especially the Roman and Italian 

 varieties. Practically all the narcissi are good subjects, and 

 many kinds of tulips will do well, although these plants like 



The Relative Flowering Value of Good and Poor 

 Hyacinth Bulbs 



Bulbs Planted in Shells — A Novel and 

 Attractive Method 



a bulb goes for little, unless the specimen is at the same time a little more sunshine than it is always easy to give them in a 



heavy and firm. Whether the bulb will make a good show room. All the smaller bulbs, such as snowdrops, crocuses, 



or not, entirely depends upon the size of the bud inside, and and scillas, are very good subjects for indoor culture, and 



in buying a large number of examples it is as well to cut one may be relied upon to make a fine show. Among other 



