FLORICULTURE 
adopted as the bulbs may be more read- 
ily planted with a trowel. The depth at 
which each bulb should be planted de- 
pends mainly on variety but care should 
be taken that each bulb in a bed should 
be planted at the same depth, so as to in- 
sure blossoming at the same _ time. 
From four to five inches is deep enough 
for tulip bulbs and five or six for 
hyacinths, while small bulbs like the 
crocus and scilla, ete, three to four 
inches is sufficient, but better results will 
follow from a little too deep planting 
than from too shallow. Larger bulbs 
like lilies should be planted to a depth 
of from eight to twelve inches. If in 
a section of country where the ground 
freezes during winter, a coating or mulch 
of coarse litter or leaves should be put 
on the beds to protect the bulbs from too 
severe freezing and the changes from 
freezing and thawing of the ground. 
This mulching should be removed as 
early as possible in the spring. In many 
instances it is necessary to lift the 
bulbs so that something else may be 
planted in the beds. This may be done 
before the plants are thoroughly ripen- 
ed by lifting with a little dirt along 
with each bulb which may be placed in a 
row somewhere else until ripened, when 
they may be laid past for another sea- 
son’s planting. 
In the hardy border, bulbs may be 
planted in patches among herbaceous 
plants. They will not only do well and 
make the border look showy in the earli- 
est days of spring, but have a good 
chance of ripening there and need not 
be disturbed from year to year. Where 
bulbs are grown this way, annuals may 
be planted to take their places through 
the later summer months. Some of the 
varieties of bulbs, like the crocus, snow- 
drop and the scilla, may be effectually 
planted in the lawn and make a good 
showing in the early spring immediately 
after winter is past. 
In semi-wild gardens these bulbs are 
very effective planted along with such 
plants as the erythoniums, bleeding 
hearts, etc. When this is done, each va- 
riety or color should be in as large a 
2-——~-20 
961 
patch as possible. 
this way. 
Nature always plants 
Lawns 
The importance of a good lawn is one 
of the principal features of ornamental 
gardening. Contrary to the expectations 
of many, a first-class lawn cannot be ob- 
tained unless there is sufficient depth of 
soil and the same has received the proper 
preparation. It should always be borne 
in mind that grasses are deep-rooted 
plants and if a fine velvety luxuriance is 
to be had, the soil must be from 12 to 18 
inches deep. In many places we see only 
a few inches of soil spread on the top 
of a poor sub-soil, or gravel, or even 
often on a ledge of rock and a lawn 
started and kept green on the same by 
means of copious and almost continuous 
watering. In no instances of this kind, 
however, can a good lawn be expected. 
That fine velvety touch of the good lawn 
is found only where consideration has 
been given to the various grasses of 
which the lawn is composed. 
Any good soil 1s suitable for a lawn. 
It will, however, need some attention to 
prepare it for the proper plant food. If 
it is sandy or gravelly, attention should 
be given to the addition of humus. If, 
on the other hand, the soil is clayey, or 
should contain signs of alkali, attention 
should be given to counteract these and 
bring into the soil more of the plant 
foods required by the grasses For the 
counteraction of alkali in soils abundant 
quantities of manure should be plowed 
into the soil and turned up to the storms 
of winter. 
In preparing the soil for seeding, it 
should be deeply plowed, well drained 
and properly graded and finished to an 
even surface with an iron rake. In seed- 
ing a small lawn the sowing may be done 
by hand but care should be taken to 
scatter the seed evenly. On a large lawn 
a hand or power seeding machine may 
be used, and in many cases it is desirable 
to use various grasses on a lawn; in fact, 
it is always advisable to use several spe- 
cies. The reason for this is that some 
grasses will thrive better in some soils 
than others, and by using a combination 
