S P R I N G - F L W E R I N G BULBS 



When the flowers have fallen, the seed-pods should be broken 

 off — the whole flower-stalk being cut way in the case of the 

 Hyacinth — and the foliage should be allowed to remain until it 

 has quite ripened. Whether the bulbs are to be lifted each season 

 is a point to be decided on the basis of the requirements of the 

 place where they are grown, and the results obtained from pre- 

 vious experience. In formal beds, if it is necessary to remove the 

 bulbs as early as possible in order to replant the beds with sum- 

 mer-blooming plants, retain as much soil as may adhere to the 

 roots, and replant in shallow trenches where the bulbs may 

 mature their foliage. In the hardy border the bulbs may be left 

 for a time, if they appear to have found conditions to their liking. 

 It may be laid down as a general rule that all Tulips are better off 

 if lifted annually, though the late sorts do fairly well the second 

 year when undisturbed. Daffodils need replanting most often at 

 the end of the second season; the white Trumpet kinds do better 

 if lifted annually. When the flower-stalk of the Tulip can be 

 twisted about the finger without breaking, the bulbs can be safely 

 lifted, while Daffodils should be left until the leaves have turned 

 yellow three-quarters of the distance from tip to base. As several 

 kinds make new roots very soon after maturing, it is unsafe to 

 wait too long before lifting. After lifting, the bulbs should be 

 roughly cleaned and stored in a cool, dry place not exposed to 

 the sun. It is better to divide Daffodils just before planting, 

 because there is danger of injuring the root base if the bulbs are 

 separated immediately after lifting. 



For Pot Culture, early potting is imperative. It is quite 

 impossible to obtain flowers until abundant root-growth is estab- 

 lished, and to secure sufficient roots will generally take from 

 eight to ten weeks. If the pots are wanted in succession through- 

 out the winter, potting should be done at intervals of two or 

 three weeks, but all of it should be over by the middle of Novem- 

 ber. Crocuses need to be potted early, but should not be brought 

 into heat before January. The bulbs should be set at such a depth 

 that the tops protrude slightly when the potting is done. The 

 bulbs must never be pressed down into the soil, for the roots will 

 lift the bulbs quite out of the pots if the earth beneath is packed 

 hard. A suitable soil for potting should consist of two parts of 

 fibrous loam, two parts of leaf-mold, one part sharp sand, and one 



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