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



BULBS FLOWERING IN THE GARDEN BORDER. 



^flowering JSulbs 



CROCUS "NATURALIZED IN THE GRASS. 



AND THEIR USES. 



The term " Bulbs," as popularly understood, desig- 

 nates 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, 

 corm, rhizome or pip, as the various types of bulbs are 

 botanicall}- named, but in all of which there were formed, 

 after flowering and before maturity, new sets of flowers, 

 stems, leaves, etc., which are protected and sustained with- 

 in the succulent bulb for the next growing and flowering 

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

 imately, for from three to six months, that bulbs are taken 

 out of the ground — sold, shipped and replanted, like so many po- 

 tatoes — after which, conditions being congenial, the incipient plant 

 and flowers develop with as much perfection as if the bulb had re- 

 mained in its original environment. 

 Bulbous Flowering Plants (Bulbs) produce remarkably beautiful 

 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 end- 

 less variety in habit, form, size, color, and are adaptable for so many pur- 

 poses ; many of them flower equally well under either garden or house 

 culture, and after their beauty fades they hide away, 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 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 hard}- enough to withstand our 

 severe Northern winters. 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 bulbousbeauties. In May 

 appear late Tulips, late Narcissus, Lily-of-the-valley, Bleeding Hearts, etc. Again, followed in succession until 

 frost, notably with Paeonias, Iris, Hemerocallis, Lilies, Montbretias, Tritomas, etc. 



For Geometrical or "Design" Bedding. — The bulbs best adapted are Dutch Hyacinths and Tulips, ami 

 while the dainty blendings 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. Therefore, the happiest effects 

 are produced by planting solid bright colors 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. 



The flixed Flower Garden and Herbaceous Border are favorite 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 bril- 

 liantly colored and fragrant bulbous blossoms. Be- 

 sides from the border one does not hesitate to gather 

 flowers daily for the house, for fear of spoiling the 

 effect, as would be the case from design beds. And 

 besides, " bulbs seem to do better and last longer in a 

 border," as a lady customer expressed it, and this is 

 partially true, and thus accounted for : The flowers 

 are freely cut in bud or approaching their prime, which 

 is the best possible time for the future benefit of the 

 bulb, for the efforts of bulbs to seed are weakening. 

 Furthermore, in an herbaceous border bulbs are not 

 disturbed, the foliage remains uninjured until ripe, 

 thus fulfilling its duty assigned by nature of recharging 

 the balb with new flowers, foliage and energy for the 

 next season's display. 



t ... • .., -, 



GEOMETRICAL OH DESIGN IIEDDING WITH TULIPS. 



