8 
great diversity in the quality of the stocks received. In this variety 
there is a tendency to grayness, that is, the foliage instead of being a 
rich glaucous green is likely to be mottled or streaked with yellowish 
green. This condition has been prevalent in many stocks and in 
previous years' forcings ; when the bulbs were from a wider range of 
territory the condition seemed to be more prevalent in southern- 
grown bulbs. However, the stocks at Bellingham, Wash., have never 
been free from it. Grayness is commonly present also in freshly im- 
ported stocks, especially in the cheaper grades. 1 
Although the "gray" bulbs flower well and are but slightly sub- 
normal in size, no grower can afford to work up stocks which are af- 
fected in this way. What should be done with them depends largely 
upon the extent to which they are affected. If the whole stock is in 
this condition it should be gotten rid of. If only slightly so, the 
" gray " bulbs can be rogued out early in the spring and the stocks 
thus trued up. Good cultural conditions should be employed and 
roguing practiced each year to eliminate the weak plants. The im- 
provement of stocks is accomplished mostly by the elimination of un- 
desirable individuals. It is cheaper in the end to pay a higher price 
for bulbs which are robust and have a rich glaucous green foliage. 
The best time to estimate grayness is when the plants are 6 to 8 
inches high in the spring. 
SPURIUS OR TRUMPET MAJOR 
The bulbs of Spurius or Trumpet Major (pi. 3, A, and pi. 4, B) 
which were forced in this and previous seasons furnish exceedingly 
instructive information. The experiments recorded in Table 2 indi- 
cate a considerable measure of failure compared with the per- 
formance as exhibited in the illustration in Plate 3, A, due, it is 
evident, entirely to the greater success in handling the dormant 
bulbs in the latter instance. 
The bulbs forced in 1923 and 1924 were in prime condition. Those 
of 1924 and 1925 were of the same stocks but injured in transit. In 
the latter case stocks in slightly less than bushel quantities were 
forwarded in burlap sacks, where they remained more than two 
weeks during warm weather. When the sacks were opened many 
bulbs were soft and a large percentage showed deterioration at the 
base, some having the base completely rotted and the bases of the 
scales starting to discolor, while other bulbs were firm with the base 
only slightly discolored. Of course, most of the bulbs thus injured 
finally succumbed, and some in which no injury was observable afc 
the time of planting rotted in the flats and in the field. 
That these bulbs were free from any infectious disease is shown 
(1) by the fact that they were all right the preceding year and (2) 
by their having been dug from old plantings which had been undis- 
turbed and in perfect health for a score or more of years. 
Daffodil bulbs do not ship well in burlap sacks. One commercial 
shipment made in 1925 in bean hampers went to its destination in 
perfect condition, but a later shipment in burlap sacks (which, 
however, was routed differently and suffered a week's delay) had 
more than 50 per cent loss. Another shipment of gladiolus conns 
1 See p. 20. 
