6 



THE FLORAL WORLD 



KEEPING BULBS 



Our bulbs and roots coming from 

 so many different climates require dif- 

 ferent treatment and surroundings to 

 keep successfully through the long 

 winters of the North. Cannas, cala- 

 diums, tuberoses and many others if 

 kept cool and damp will rot or be- 

 come blind; that is, the eye will be 

 dead, though the bulb may appear 

 sound. Dahlias, spotted calla, glad- 

 iolus and others, if kept dry and warm 

 will dry up. Under the benches of a 

 greenhouse is an ideal place to keep 

 cannas, Caladium esculentum and 

 dahlias. Gladiolus and spotted calla, 

 zepliyranthes, can be kept as easily 

 as potatoes, but tuberoses, gloxinias, 

 tuberous begonias, fancy caladiums, 

 must be kept in dry sand in the warm- 

 est place, not lower than fifty degrees. 

 Those who have only a cellar for their 

 treasures will have lots of trouble and 

 many losses even with the best of 

 care. After the frost kills the tops of 

 cannas and dahlias dig and set the 

 clumps in boxes and fill in with soil 

 about as they grew. Gladiolus, tube- 

 roses, spotted calla and zephyranthes 

 should be dug and dried and put in 

 boxes, the tuberoses in a warm place, 

 the others in any place free from frost. 

 Tuberous begonias, fancy caladiums, 

 gloxinias, in dry sand in a warm closet. 

 A watchful eye should be kept on all 

 bulbs and plants while in their winter 

 quarters that they do not become too 

 wet or too dry, too hot or too cold, for 

 either extreme is fatal to some. Ex- 

 perience is the best teacher. 



Ohio. S. J. Galloway. 



BIBLE CROCUS BED 



Mark off a rectangle eight by five 

 feet. Spade the bed in small, deep 

 spades, so the ground will be in a fine, 

 mellow condition, and it must have a 

 reworking to fine the surface, and not 

 be grassy nor trash on it, and ready to 

 plant in October or November. I 



bought seven hundred crocus bulbs of 

 the Mammoth Yellow, but did not use 

 the small ones, and one hundred and 

 fifty early Due Van Thol scarlet tulips. 



Set the tulips very close in two rows 

 around the edge. Now mark in the 

 bed "Holy Bible" in plain letters, and 

 set close, nearly touching the crocus 

 bulbs in the letters. Make the capitals 

 in a solid chain and the corners fill in, 

 but not touching the letters, and three 

 rows around the margin by the tulips. 



Be sure the bed drains and has no 

 manure touching on the bulbs. But 

 cover with two inches of good garden 

 soil. Mulch with leaves and cover 

 with brush to keep the leaves from 

 blowing away. 



The crocus blooms first, and a little 

 later the golden Bible will be bordered 

 with a deep crimson, and these two 

 colors blend so pretty. Notice the bed 

 early and remove the mulch as soon 

 as they commence to green and grow.' 



Illinois. Annie J. Paddick. 



THE FLOWER FOR THE MILLION 



Since the peony is crowned "flower 

 queen," as loyal subjects we should 

 give it a royal reception by preparing 

 a bed which will foster a noble and 

 worthy sovereign, requiring no change 

 during life if but accorded one new 

 coverlet each winter. Their flowers 

 will be more lasting if the hottest sun 

 cannot strike them. Excavate a ten- 

 foot circle two feet deep, carting half 

 away, incorporating rotted manure 

 with the balance. Plant double white 

 in the center, with six Rosea Fragrans 

 two feet distant and twelve double 

 white around these, two feet away. 

 Fill vacancies with cup daffoails and 

 Narcissus poeticus mixed. Mulch 

 heavily with rough manure every win- 

 ter. The size, shape and number of 

 beds and the colors employed may vary 

 indefinitely. Remove faded fiowers, 

 keep grass edged, and when they 

 crowd divide, making new beds. 



Indiana. Sarah A. Pleas. 



