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



HENDERSON'S SUPERIOR 



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The term "Bulbs," as popularly understood, desig^iates a clai>s 

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

 the flowers, foliage and roots having completed their ffrowth. ripened 

 off and died away, leaving a thickened, flesh.v, bulbous root, tuber, 

 corm, rhizome or pip, as the various t.vpes of bulbs are bot.anicall.v 

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

 marurit.v, a bud or buds containing new sets of flowers, stems, leaves, 

 etc., which are proteited and sustained within the siitcuient bulb by the 

 reserve food and enerc.v collected and stored therein by the plant before 

 ripeningfor its successors' requirements during the next growing and 

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

 approximately, for from three to si.'c 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 

 origin.il environment. 



Bulbous Flowering Plants (Btdhs) produce remarkabl.v beauti 

 ful flov.ers, unsurp.issed in many varieties by any other j)lants in the 

 floral kingdom, and, besides, many of them are delightfull.v fragrant. 

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

 such acendle.ss variet.v in habit, form, size, color, and are adai>tablefor 

 so many purjioses; man.v of them flower equall.v well under either gar- 

 den or house culture, and after their beaut.v fades the.v hide awuy. or 

 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 ma.v be occupied by other seasonable flowering plnnts. 

 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 — X great many 

 kinds of l>ulbs are hard.v 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, .\conites, Bulbocodiums, 

 etc.. n hich are followed in .\pril with H.vacinths, Tulips. Daffodils, and 

 hosts of other Tiulbous beauties. In Ma.v appear late Tulips, late Nar- 

 cissus, Llly-of-the-valle.v, Bleeding Hearts, etc. .\gain. followed in suc- 

 cession until frost, notably with Pieonias, Iris, Hemerocallis, Lilies, 

 Montbretias, Tritomas, etc. 



For Geometrical or "Desigrn" Bedding:. — The bulbs best 

 adajited are Dutch H.vacinths and Tulips, and w hile the dainty blend- 

 ings and variegations of colors of m.'iu.v varieties of these are ver.y 

 beantiful, yet in this st.vle 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 time and are of 

 proper heights. 



Tlie Mixed Flower Garden and Herbaceous Border are fa- 

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

 thrive and give the most ple^isure. The.v should be planted here and 

 there in little colonic"8 among the hard.v plants and shrubs, whose 

 sombre winter browns and dull greens make a most effective setting 

 when studded in the earl.v spring with the brilliantly colored and fra- 

 grant bulbous bloHHoms. Besides from the borderone does not hesitate 

 to gather flowei-M daily for the house, for tear of spoiling the effect, as 

 w luld be the case from design beds. And besides, "bulbs seem to do 

 lie'.terand last lorigerin a border." as a l.adycustoniere.xpn-s.ted It. and 

 tlilKls jiartiall.v true, and thus accounted for: The flowei-s are fri-ely cut 

 ill liud or approaching their ]>rlme, which Is the best possible time for 

 tin-future benefit of the bulb, for the efforts of bulbs to si-ed are wcak- 

 en.'ng; in fact, a Hyacinth that matures s"eds virtunll.v destroys its 

 bulb. Furthermore, in an herbaceous border bulbs are not disturbed, 

 the foliage remains uninjured until ripe, thus fultilling its dut.v assigned 

 liy nnlun' of recharging the bulb with new flowers, foliage and energy 

 lor tlie next Heat«>irBdlsiila.v. whereas in betls for temporar.v effiH't bulbs 

 ore not often allowwl to mature properly, the bed being required too 

 soon for other seasonable plants. 



Bold, Isolated Clumps of Tall-growing Bulbous Plants 

 nuikea brilliantshow planted on the lawn In a poviltinn not tooprond- 

 Le-it tinr too near, tin- ol)je<-t desin'il bcln;r n large ni.iss of onerohir.ln 

 elrlkingcontrnst to tin- surroiimling green grass and Ini-s. I'or effi'<ts 

 oflhls kind tiidy oni- variety sliouM be used In a iK-d. Thosemost suita- 

 ble r.re indicated In the index by au (lil) 



Bulbs Rig^ht in the Sod on the Lawn present a pleasing picture 

 when in bloom iu the early spring. They should l>e planted in a "hit- 

 and-miss" fa-'ihion. an irregular group in one place, Bcattere<l indi- 

 viduals over there, as one would fin<i wild flowers. Of course, on 

 closely-<iii)ped lawns, only ver.v earl.v spring-flowering bulbs can be 

 used, those that fltiwer, ripen and die down before it is necessiir.v to use 

 the mower. Then the suMitnersurface of the lawn will be as smooth an«I 

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

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

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

 cut the sod, turn it back, i)lant the bulbs and jiress the sod in place. 

 Suitable sorts are indicated in the index by an \ f) 



"Naturalizing" Hardy Bulbs in parks, semi-wild outl.ving 

 grounds, etc., is cominc: much in vogue, and is a happy st.vle 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. Fortunatel.v. 

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

 increase in such rousrh. neglected, picturescjue jilaces even better than 

 in the prim garden. Those suitable are indicated in the index b.v an ( Q) 



BULBS FOR FLOWERING IN THE HOUSE AND 

 GREENHOUSE. 



There is no class of plants that gives more satisfaction forthls pur- 

 pose than bulbous plants ilnilbsi. and with so little skill gives such 

 magnificent results. Perhaps the most important cla>is of all bulbs for 

 T^inter flo'wering and forcing are certain hardy and halt-hardy 

 kinds: the.v are the most easil.v managed of all. and ne«-d cHcup.v no 

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

 Under suitable treatment the.v flower with great certaint.v. and their 

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

 to " bring them in " for certain m-casions, or to give a continuous huc- 

 ce-ssion ot 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 curi"us and pretty methods of flowering certain 

 bulbs besides in ordiuar.v pots and pans. One of the most suci-essful 

 and interesting are H.vacinth bulbs in glasses of water. I'se early 

 flowering single varieties onl.v. \Ve suppl.v spec ial " Hyacinth (jla.-ises" 

 for the purpose (see page 701. These are simply filled with fn-sh pure 

 water: a lump ot chano.'il thrown in absorbs impurities, but is not 

 absolutel.v neccssar.v. The bulb sets in a cup-shaped n-ceptac le on top 

 of the glass. In filling, the water should not quite touch the bottom of 

 the bulb. Place iu a cool, dark, air.v place until the roots have reached 

 the bottom of the glass, which should be in about six weeks' time. Do 

 not plac-e them in a close, warm closet; the.v must have fresh air. Ah 

 the water evaporates fill up the glasses ancl change the water entirely 

 when needed to kei-p it sweet and clear, .\tter rooting, place the 

 glassc>s in a light stoi-eroom where the temperature averages about r>0 

 degrees until the stems and foliage have developwl, then remove to a 

 warm sunn.v window for flowers to open. 



There are other kinds of bulbs that do equall.v well when rooted In 

 water, providing the largest health.v bulbs are chosen. Notably, 

 Amaryllis formosissima, .Narcissus Horsfleldl and (icilden Spur. I'oly- 

 anthus Xarc ifsus.tirand Monarciue and (ilorlosa.largi'bulbs of Roman 

 Hyacinths, Karly Single Tulips and Mnninioth Yellow CrcHUS. etc. The 

 so-called "Cldnese Sacred l.il.v." a variety of Polyanthus Nan issus. 

 grows and flowers luxuriantly in bowis ot water, provldi-d they ari- not 

 placed in a dr.v furnnce-heatc-d room, which will cause the buds to blast 

 before opening. Sutflcient pebbles or shells should surround the bulbs 

 to prevent them from toppling over. 



Crocus, Uomau Hyacinths and l.ll.v of the Valley pips are very 

 prctt.v when nlcciy flowered iu coluninnrj- hetlgehog or Invhlve-shaiM-d 

 pots with holes through them (wi- pace TO(. A bulb Is place<l In front 

 of each hcile with the crown of the bcdh in it; the pot Is then AIIcmI In 

 with the- sciil through the large opc^nlng In the bottom, moss beiiii; 

 pressed in last to hold the contents In place-, .\fter which the pots are 

 "put ciutHide tor the biilbs to root, as i-xpl.ilned under "Cultural 

 instructions for Winter I'loneriug Bulbs," on pagv 3. 



