Beckert^s Bulbs and Seeds for Fall Planting 



Autumn, 1913 



Hyacinths. Their Culture 



For the Garden. The soil must have good drainage and be dug to a depth of 12 inches. The beds should slope from the center 

 outward for surface drainage. The soil requires no special fertilizer, well-rotted manure, dug in, sufficing for the wants of the bulbs and 

 also for the usual bedding plants to follow in such beds the next spring. Plant the bulbs 6 to 9 inches apart and to a depth, from the 

 crown of the bulb, of about 3 inches in heavy soil and 4 inches in light soil. Protect the beds with 3 to 4 inches of leaves or light litter, 

 gradually removing this in the spring. It is still better to cover with several inches of well-rotted and light manure, allowing this to 

 remain on the beds in the spring, this mulch keeping the beds moist and cool, through which the blooming period is considerably length- 

 ened. The bulbs can be planted from October until the ground freezes, but early planting is preferable, as the root-growth has time to 

 develop, enabling the plants to better withstand the winter's severity, and also contributing to the production of larger and more perfect 

 flower-spikes. The beds may be planted with one or more varieties or a combination of colors as fancy may suggest. 



For Pots, Bowls or Boxes. Use porous soil thoroughly mixed with well-rotted manure and some sand, not omitting some drain- 

 age. A single bulb will require a 5-inch pot. Allow same proportionate space, when planting a number of bulbs in larger pots or window- 

 boxes. Remove any sprouts there may be at the base of the bulbs. Plant the bulbs two-thirds below the surface, water thoroughly, and 

 place in a cool, dark situation until the roots are well established, then bring to the light. A temperature of 50°, gradually increased to 

 60°, will be a factor in securing the finest spikes and brightest colors. A high temperature — or forcing — is fatal to the most gratifying results. 



For Glasses. Use only select bulbs for this purpose. Fill the glasses with clear, soft water, allowing the base of the bulb to barely 

 touch the water. Place in a cool, dark location, letting them remain there until the roots nearly touch the bottom of the glasses; then bring 

 to the light. Replenish the water as it evaporates, or renew it if it becomes offensive. As with pot-grown plants, cool treatment will 

 improve the quality of bloom and render them more durable. 



French Roman Hyacinths. These are used very extensively for forcing. The flowers, smaller than those of the preceding class, 

 are more freely produced, two or more spikes shooting from a single bulb. Treat same as Dutch Hyacinths, in pots or boxes. The white 

 variety, if planted early and gently forced, will bloom in December. The others are three or four weeks later. A 4-inch pot is large enough 

 for a single bulb. Allow proportionate space when planting in larger boxes or pots. 



White Italian Hyacinths. These bloom about three weeks later than the White Romans. Spikes somewhat larger and very fra- 

 grant; useful for a succession; treatment same as preceding. 



Miniature Dutch Hyacinths. These are young bulbs of early-blooming varieties of 

 Dutch Hyacinths. Spikes larger and later than those of the French sort. Plant six to ten bulbs 

 in pots or pans according to size of vessel. Also useful for outdoor planting. 



Specially Prepared Hyacinths for Very 

 Early Flowering 



By a new method of treatment recently discovered by a Holland bulb-grower while experi- 

 menting with the object of hastening the maturity of the bulbs, Hyacinths can now successfully 

 be brought into earlier bloom than has heretofore been possible. By this method, in which the 

 maturity of the bulb is hastened, the flowers produced from them are not alone earlier, but larger 

 and more perfect, with stronger spikes and larger bells. Our grower states that this new culture 

 is a complete success and will revolutionize the growing of Hyacinths, also that the forcing of 

 Hyacinths from bulbs so treated was very easy and had already become popular in Holland. 



The past year on December 2 they had Hyacinths in perfect bloom from bulbs that had 

 been subjected to this special treatment. An exhibition of specially treated Hyacinths in bloom 

 had been held from December 20 to 23, which was a complete success, and convinced everyone 

 who had been skeptical as to practical results. 



The bulbs we offer that have been subjected to this new method of treatment are not so 

 large as our first-size Hyacinths, for the reason that it has been found that smaller bulbs give 

 better results, the large bulbs producing too many small-sized flowers. We advise our customers 

 who desire blooms at the earliest possible date to give these specially treated bulbs a trial. 

 We offer this season the following varieties, all at 15 cts. each. $1.50 per doz., or $1.65 per 

 doz., postpaid. 



Garibaldi. Brilliant red. Grande Blanche. Blush-white. 



General Pelissier. Crimson-scarlet. Maria. Dark purple. 



Marie Cornelia. Blush-pink. Potgieter. Light blue. 



Lady Derby. Bright rose-pink. Regulus. Light blue. 



L'Innocence. Pure white. 



Exhibition Hyacinths 



These are varieties selected for their grand-sized spikes, elegance of form and beauty and 

 richness of color. The bulbs in quality are the cream of the crop, and naturally are sold at an 

 advanced price. We offer this grade only in limited quantity and request early orders for the 

 same. These bulbs, as a rule, are too large to grow in the ordinary Hyacinth glass, but may be 

 flowered in any large vase, if this is preferred to pot culture. 

 18 cts. each (20 cts., postpaid), $1.75 per doz. ($1.93, postpaid). 



SINGLE RED, ROSE and PINK SHADES. Gertrude, Gigantea, Moreno, Roi des Beiges, 

 Cardinal Wiseman, Charles Dickens, Garibaldi, Lady Derby, Ornement Rose and Robert 

 Steiger. 



SINGLE PURE and BLUSH-WHITE. Grande Blanche, La Grandesse, L'Innocence, Mme. 

 Van der Hoop, Albertine, Angenis Christina, British Queen, Jumbo, Monsieur Van der Hoop, 

 and Mr. Plimsol. 



SINGLE BLUE SHADES. Grand Lilas, Grand Maitre, Johan, King of the Blues, Captain 



Boyton, Lady Derby, Maria, Potgieter, Queen of the Blues and Totula. 



I 



Hyacinth Glasses. blue, green and purple. 

 — $1.60 per doz. 



Tall and low glasses. 15 cts. each. 



Hyacinth in glass 



