1882.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



151 



BULBS FOE AUTUMN PLANTING. 



So much lias been written about bulbs, 

 which bloom in early spring, and which must 

 be planted the preceding autumn, that 

 further articles upon the subject may seem 

 unnecessary. But every spring, some -one 

 seeing the borders of his neighbor gay with 

 the early Snow-drop and Crocus, the showy 

 Tulip and the fragrant Hyacinth and Nar- 

 cissus, exclaims, "Why did I not plant bulbs 

 last autumn ! " For the special benefit of 

 such, as well as to remind others who may 

 forget, a few words 

 may be advisable. 



To have a bright 

 border of spring 

 bulbs is no diffi- 

 cult matter. First 

 choose a spot close 

 to the house, un- 

 der the windows 

 of the parlor or 

 "living room," for 

 the flowers will 

 bloom brightly on 

 many a spring day 

 when chill winds 

 will prevent one 

 from enjoying 

 them out of doors, 

 and thus our spring 

 garden should al- 

 ways be in full 

 view from the win- 

 dows. Let it be a 

 warm place, with 

 a southerly expos- 

 ure, and, if possi- 

 ble, sheltered from 

 the wind by some 

 angle of the house. 

 The closer to the 

 house the better ; if 

 there is a stone un- 

 der-fencing, make 

 the bed close to it, 

 for often, in such 

 a situation, Snow- 

 drops will bloom in 

 February, Crocus 

 and Bulbocodium 

 will soon follow, 

 and the delicate 

 Persian Iris and 

 Due Van Thol Tu- 

 lips will not linger 

 long behind, for 

 the stone holds the 

 heat of the sun 

 and the ground 

 seldom freezes to 

 any considerable 

 depth. Be careful 

 that the ground 

 slopes slightly out- 

 ward, so that wa- 

 ter may run off. Successive freezing and 

 thawing will in time kilt any bulb. 



As to soil, for the more common bulbs any 

 garden soil will serve ; a rich, light loam is 

 the best. If the soil is a stiff clay, although 

 the bulbs will grow, they do not thrive, and 

 never flower very early. Iu such case, spade 

 in sand or lighter loam, until the soil 

 becomes easily worked. Manure is not neces- 

 sary, but well-rotted cow droppings or 

 decomposed leaves, or sods spaded through 

 the bed, add much to the perfection of the 

 plants ; rank, coarse, or fresh manure should 



never be used, and every precaution should 

 be taken to draw off standing water. 



The bed should be prepared by careful 

 spading about the first of October, or even 

 earlier, for the earlier the bulbs are planted, 

 the earlier and stronger is the bloom in the 

 spring. The reason is that the bulbs at once 

 begin to make roots, and the plants, if thus 

 well-established before winter, have only to 

 develop the flowers in answer to the first 

 call of the spring sun. For this same reason, 

 a bulb bed is often better the second spring 



NEW DUTCH SEEDLING CROCUS. 



after planting, for these bulbs do not require 

 replanting year by year, but many kinds 

 soon form large clumps, require no care, and 

 increase in beauty year by year. This is 

 especially the ease with Snow-drops, Crocus, 

 and Narcissus. 



Plant the bulbs from two to four inches 

 deep, according to their size, the smaller, 

 such as Crocus and Snow-drops, in rather 

 close clumps, of from five to ten, the larger 

 either singly or in threes. The planting 

 must depend much on fancy; it may be in 

 lines or figures, but, however done, each 



color should be by itself, and varieties 

 should not be mixed, as they often bloom 

 earlier or later by many days. 



If one has no time or space for a bulb bed, 

 let him dig out holes a few feet in diam- 

 eter, and plant clumps of bulbs, or, with a 

 dibble, make holes and drop Crocuses through 

 the grass ; in either case the effect will well 

 repay the trouble. 



It is well, as the ground begins to freeze, 

 to cover the bed with coarse, strawy manure, 

 to keep the frost out of the ground; this 

 should be removed 

 in spring, when 

 the bulbs show 

 above the ground ; 

 leaves answer the 

 same purpose, but 

 are more apt to 

 become sodden. 



Plant Snowdrops, 

 Crocuses, in differ- 

 ent colors ; Persian 

 Iris, Bulbocodium, 

 Early Tulips, Nar- 

 cissus, and Jon- 

 quils, and by all 

 means find place 

 for a Crown Impe- 

 rial, which comes 

 up so sturdily in 

 early spring. All 

 these are very 

 cheap ; thei-w are 

 others as easily 

 grown, and costing 

 little, but these 

 are the bulbs for 

 the people. A lit- 

 tle outlay this Oc- 

 tober will yield 

 good return in 

 spring. 



E. S. Rand, Jr. 



LILIES. 



This month is 

 the most favorable 

 time for the plant- 

 ing of most spe- 

 cies of Lilies usu- 

 ally cultivated in 

 gardens. They may 

 also be planted in 

 spring, but, unless 

 planted very early, 

 the bulbs start into 

 growth before they 

 have formed suf- 

 ficient roots for 

 their support, and 

 cannot, therefore, 

 produce as good 

 flowers the first 

 year as those which 

 have been planted the previous fall, and 

 have already become well established. 



The hardier kinds of Lilies will grow in 

 any good garden soil, although they are not 

 ungrateful to better treatment ; but Lilium 

 auratum, L. Krameri, and several of the Cali- 

 fornia species require a well-drained, deep, 

 rich, friable soil, containing a good portion 

 of vegetable mold. Suitable positions for 

 the delicate kinds may easily be prepared by 

 making raised beds similar to rockeries, but 

 the stones should be around the beds, not in 

 the middle of them, as is frequently the case. 



