PETER HENDERSON & CO., NEW YORK.— BULBS FOR AUTUMN PLANTING. 



HENDERSON'S SUPERIOR 



The term "Bulbs," as popularly understood, designates a class 

 of flowering and ornamental-leaved plants in their dormant condition, 

 the flowers, foliage and roots having completed their growth, ripened 

 off and died away, leaving a thickened, fleshy, bulbous root, tuber, 

 conn, rhizome or pip. as the various types of bulbs are botanically 

 named, but in all of which there were formed after flowering and before 

 maturity, a bud or buds containing new sets of flowers, stems, leaves, 

 etc., which are protected and sustained within the succulent bulb by the 

 reserve food and energy collected and stored therein by the plant before 

 ripening for its successors' requirements during the next growing and 

 flowering period. It is during this dormant state of rest, lasting, 

 approximately, for from three to six months, that bulbs are taken out 

 of the ground — sold, shipped and replanted, like so many potatoes — 

 after which, conditions being congenial, the incipient plant and flowers 

 develop with as much perfection as if the bulb had remained in its 

 original environment. 



Bulbous Flowering Plants (Bulbs) produce remarkably beauti- 

 ful flowers, unsurpassed in many varieties by any other plants in the 

 floral kingdom, and, besides, many of them are delightfully fragrant. 

 There is a peculiar charm in growing bulbous plants; they comprise 

 such an endless variety in habit, form, size, color, and are adaptablefor 

 so many purposes ; many of them flower equally well under either gar 

 den or house culture, and after their beauty fades they hide away, 01 

 may be removed, until the proper time arrives for them to again burst 

 forth with a new life of beauty, verdure and fragrance. In the interval 

 their positions may be occupied by other seasonable flowering plants. 

 Among other merits of bulbs is the certainty and perfection with which 

 they bloom and their ease of culture. 



Hardy Bulbs for Open Ground Planting. — A great many 

 kinds of bulbs are hardy enough to withstand our severe Northern win- 

 ters. Most of the suitable sorts should be planted in the fall, and they 

 will flower the following season, commencing in March or earlier with 

 Snowdrops, Chionodoxas, Scillas. Crocus. Aconites. Bulbocodiums, 

 etc., which are followed in April with Hyacinths. Tulips. Daffodils, and 

 hosts of other bulbous beauties. In May appear late Tulips, late Nar- 

 cissus, Llly-of-the- valley. Bleeding Hearts, etc. Again, followed in suc- 

 cession until frost, notably with Poeonias, Iris, Heiuerocallis. Lilies, 

 Montbretias, Tritomas, etc. 



For Geometrical or "Design" Bedding. — The bulbs best 

 adapted are Dutch Hyacinths and Tulips, and while the dainty Mend- 

 ings and variegations of colors of many varieties of these are very 

 beautiful, yet in this style of bedding the individualities are lost and 

 the effect is apt to be a jumble. The happiest effects are produced by 

 planting solid brightcolors in contrast, and in ordering the varieties it 

 is important to select those that will bloom at the same tlmeandare of 

 proper heights. 



The Mixed Flower Garden and Herbaceous Border are fa- 

 vorite places for growing most hardy bulbs, and where they seem to 

 thrive and give the most pleasure. They should be planted here and 

 there in little colonies among the hardy plants and shrubs. whose 

 sombre winter browns and dull greens make a most effective setting 

 when studded In the early spring with the brilliantly colored and fra- 

 grant bulbous blossoms. Besides from the borderone does not hesitate 

 to gather flowers daily for the house, for fear of spoiling the effect, as 

 WOllld be the case from design beds. And besides, "bulbs Beem to do 

 betterand last longerln a border." us a ladycastomerezpressed It, and 

 this Is partially true. and thus accounted for: The (lowers an- freely cuf 

 In bud or approaching their prime, which Is the best possible time for 

 the future benefit ol the bulb, for the efforts of bulbs to seed are weak- 

 ening; in fact, a Hyacinth that matures seeds virtually destroys Its 

 bulb. Furthermore. In nn herbaceous border bulbs are not disturbed, 

 the foil ii ge rem a ins uninjured until ripe, thus fnllilling Its duty assigned 

 by nature of recharging the bulb with new (lowers, (ullage and energy 

 for the next season's display, whereas In beds (or temporary effect bulbs 

 an' not often allowed to mature properh . tin bed being required too 

 BOOD lor other seasonable plants. 



Bold, Isolated Clumps of Tall-growing Bulbous Plants 

 make a brilliant show planted on the lawn In a position not tOO promi- 

 nent nor toi» near, tl bject desired being a large mass Ol one color, In 



striking contrast to the surrounding green grass unci trees, For effects 

 ol t»b< kind only one variety should be used In a bed Those most suita- 

 ble ure Indicated In the Index by an (IJJ) 



Bulbs Right in the Sod on the Lawn present a pleasing picture 

 when in bloom in the early spring. They should be planted in a " hit- 

 and-miss" fashion, an irregular group in one place, scattered indi- 

 viduals over there, as one would find wild flowers. Of course, on 

 closely-clipped lawns, only very early spring-flowering bulbs can be 

 used, those that flower, ripen and die down before it is necessary to use 

 the mower. Then the summersurface of the lawn will be as smooth and 

 green as if no sleeping bulbous beauties were beneath it waiting for 

 their awakening the next spring. The bulbs may be planted with a 

 dibble when the sod is moist and soft after fall rains, but it is better to 

 cut the sod, turn it back, plant the bulbs and press the sod in place. 

 Suitable sorts are indicated in the index by an ( J ) 



"Naturalizing" Hardy Bulbs in parks, semi-wild, outlying 

 grounds, etc., is coming much in vogue, and is a happy style of simu- 

 lating nature. Such bulbs should be used as can be planted in quan- 

 tity, from a dozen to a hundred of a kind in a patch. Fortunately, 

 among bulbous plants, we have many that are hardy, thrive and 

 increase in such rough, neglected, picturesque places even better than 

 in the prim garden. Those suitable are indicated in the index by an | ~ 



BULBS FOR FLOWERING IN THE HOUSE AND 

 GREENHOUSE. 



There is no elass of plants that gives more satisfaction forthispur- 

 pose than bulbous plants (bulbs), and with so little skill gives such 

 magnificent results. Perhaps the most Important class of ajl bulbs for 

 winter flowering and forcing are certain hardy and half-hardy 

 kinds; they are Hie most easily managed of all, and need occupy no 

 space in the window or greenhouse excepting when in bud and bloom. 

 Under suitable treatment they flower with great certainty, and their 

 flowering period may be hastened (forced) or retarded at pleasure so as 

 to "bring them in" for certain occasions, or to give a continuous suc- 

 cession of bloom. There is a great variety of kinds of bulbs to select 

 from for this purpose. See sorts marked (*) in index. 



FLOWERING BULBS IN GLASSES, BOWLS, 

 UNIQUE POTS, ETC. 



There are several curious and pretty methods of flowering certain 

 bulbs besides in ordinary pots and pans. One of the most successful 

 and interesting are Hyacinth bulbs In glasses of water. I'se early 

 flowering single varieties only. "We supply s|>ecinl " Hyacinth <; 

 for the purpose (see page 701. These are simply tilled with fresh pure 

 water; a lump of charcoal thrown in absorbs Impurities, but Is not 

 absolutely necessary. The bulb sets In a ciip-shupcil receptacle on top 

 Ol the glass. In tilling, the water should not quite touch the bottom ol 

 the bulb. Place In a cool. dark, airy place until the roi its have ri 

 the bottom of the glass, which should be In about si\ weeks' time I lo 

 not place them in a close, warm closet ; they must have fresh air. As 

 the water evaporates till up the glasses and change the water entirely 

 when needed to keep it BWeet and clear. After rooting, place the 

 glasses in a light storeroom when' the temperature averages about 50 

 degrees until the stems and foliage have developed, then removi 

 warm sunny window for flowers to open. 



There are other kinds of bulbs that do equally well when rooted in 

 water, providing the largest healthy bulbs are chosen, Notablv . 

 Amaryllis iorinosis-iinn. Narcissus Horsfleldl and Golden Spur, Poly- 

 anthus Narcissus, Grand Monarqueand Qlortosa. largebulbs ol Roman 

 Hyacinths. Early Single Tulips and Mammoth Yellow Crocus, etc. The 

 Bo-called "Chinese Sacred Lily," a variety ol Polyanthus Narcissus, 



grows and flowers luxuriantly in bowls of water, provided the\ .1: 

 placed In a dry furnace-heated room, which will cause the buds to blast 

 before opening. Sufficient pebbles or shells should surround the bnlb« 



to prevent them from toppling over. 



Crocus. Roman Hyacinths and Lily of the Valley pips are v t\ 

 pretty when nheiv tlow ere, I iii coin iiniary hedgehog <>r beehlTe-shapsd 

 pots with holes through them (see page 70) A bulb Is placed In front 



of each hole with the crown ol the bulb in it. the pot is then filled i» 



with the soil through the large Opening in the bottom, moss being 



pr oppe d In last to hold the contents in place After which the pots ar» 



put outside for the bulbs to root, as explained under "CulturiB 

 Instruction! (or Winter Flowering Bulbs," on page :t 



