BULLETIN 1462, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
The work herein reported was done in a low greenhouse divided 
into two units, one for lilies and the other for the remainder of the 
bulbs. The temperatures for the first unit have been kept at 55 to 
65° F. at night, and those for the second at 45 to 55°, except in the 
case of the Kegal lily, which was in part handled under special con- 
ditions in a house under other control. 
The soil used was a heavy clay loam composted for only a few 
months and having no sand or sod in its composition. In the Dutch- 
bulb unit about 100 varieties were handled, covering the entire range 
of commercial tulips and daffodils, besides many which are not con- 
sidered forcing varieties. On account of the limitation of time 
available for this line of work and the variable requirements of the 
varieties used, it was impossible to give to the different items the 
most favorable conditions, but it was necessary to strike a general 
average which would give the best results possible with such a wide 
range of materials. The conditions were particularly trying on 
tulips, for it was necessary to bring the earliest and the latest varie- 
ties together under the same temperatures. Under such circum- 
stances it was not wise or even possible to test earliness of blossom- 
ing. That must be left for a future handling. Neither has it been 
possible thus far to make any serious direct comparisons between 
the forcing quality of imported and domestic stocks. This very 
evidently will require more carefully controlled tests with fewer 
varieties. This point will be particularly forceful to the investi- 
gator who has had experience with a mixture of different progenies 
of the same variety from different fields, different handling, or dif- 
ferent localities. Comparisons of the forcing quality of two stocks 
whose handling the previous year is neither known nor synchronized 
are of questionable value. 
TULIPS 
Interesting comparisons have been obtained during the last three 
years with tulip bulbs produced by various growers. (Pis. 1 and 2.) 
The greater part of the tulips forced in these experiments were pro- 
duced under the writer's supervision at Bellingham, Wash. These 
stocks have been in this country many years. None of them were 
imported less than three years ago, and the vast majority have been 
grown by the department continuously for 16 to 20 years. The ex- 
periments are summarized in Table 1. 
Table l.—BelwvTor of America n-grown tulip oulos un&er glass 
Variety 
Where 
grown ' 
Date of 
planting 
Date 
put on 
benches 
Date of 
flowering 
Number Number 
of of 
bulbs 2 flowers 
Alitz 
Wash., 2-. 
--.do 
- do 
Sept. 28 
Sept. 26 
Sept. 28 
Sept. 18 
Sept. 28 
Jan. 26 
Jan. 16 
Jan. 26 
...do--.- 
...do--.- 
Feb. 28 
Jan. 30 3 
Feb. 28 
-.do.... 
...do 
50 46 
Allard Pierson 
50 58 
50 48 
Antony Roosen 
Do 
...do 
...do 
40 40 
50 1 40 
1 Numerals following names of States (or Territory) where bulbs were grown indicate as follows: 1, Heel- 
ing ground was in an old slat house, under ashes; 2, heeling ground was in a lean-to against the greenhouse, 
so handled as to keep frost out. 
3 Pans were used for less than 30 bulbs and flats for larger numbers. In most cases 50 bulbs were put in 
a standard flat. 
3 This variety has been brought into blossom by a commercial grower in Portland, Oreg., from Oregon- 
grown bulbs, December 12. When well grown it commonly gives a normal and a secondary (smaller) 
flower from a bulb. (See last figures in Plates 1 and 2 and their accompanying legends.) 
