192 BULBS AKD TUBEROUS-ROOTED PLANTS. 



satisfactory prices. As Christmas is one of the best sea- 

 sons for the sale of these flowers, it is an object to get 

 them in at 'that time, and the small bulbs are the only 

 ones that can be depended upon to furnish them. 



When the bulbs are shipped from Bermuda, they 

 are in separate grades, as from three to five, and up to 

 from nine to twelve inches in circumference. Each of 

 these grades should be made into two classes, the larger 

 and smaller to be potted separately ; for instance, those 

 between four and five inches should be put in six inch 

 pots, those from three to four inches will do well in five 

 inch pots. The larger sizes will require large pots, but, 

 except for large plants for exhibition or decorative pur- 

 poses, an eight inch pot is sufficiently large for any of 

 the bulbs. There is a peculiarity about this bulb not 

 common to any other. Each seems to have a time of its 

 own to develop its flowers. In bringing forward a hun- 

 dred pots, where the bulbs were carefully selected as to 

 size, and all given the same treatment, there will be a 

 marked difference in their time of coming into flower. 

 For this reason, the practice of growing them in boxes 

 or planting them out on the benches, was abandoned, 

 there being a great loss in room to await the flowering 

 of the late ones, after the main crop had been cut. 

 When planted singly, in pots, they can be removed as 

 soon- as the stems are cut, and their places filled by others 

 to keep up a succession. 



In potting, soils of various character are used, not as 

 a matter of choice, but of necessity ; the location of the 

 florist must decide that matter, as he is limited in his 

 choice. However,' they will succeed in any good potting 

 soil, all other conditions being favorable. In potting, 

 do not press the bulb down so as to have the soil beneath 

 it hard, as the roots will not penetrate it freely, and do 

 not have the bulb more than half an inch below the rim 

 of the pot. j Plunge the pots in coal ashes in a cold 



