8 BULLETIN 1327, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
the seedlings are left in the seed bed two years and then moved to 
entirely new soil for another year to mature. The feathered hya- 
cinth can be safely grown precisely like a daffodil, the smaller half 
of the propagation maturing in two years and giving in turn suffi- 
cient "splits" to continue the planting. 
PREPARATION AND SIZING OF STOCKS 
When the bulbs have thoroughly dried on the shelves they must 
be worked over by hand to remove the bulblets from the mother or 
merchantable bulbs. The best procedure at this time is to work on 
the trays or to dump the trays on a table, from which the bulbs are 
taken up. The propagation is rubbed off and allowed to fall back 
on the table, and the large bulbs are placed in containers by hand, 
thereby separating the bulbs into two lots. The point at which 
this separation is to take place may be 4, 5, or 6 centimeters (1%, 
2, or 2% inches), depending on what character of bulb it is de- 
sired to market and to what extent the planting is to be increased or 
diminished. If more than one size of bulb is sold, further sizing 
of the merchantable stock is necessary. This will have to be accom- 
plished by hand, or if cleaned thoroughly of roots, leaf bases, and 
stem bases it can be done mechanically by the use of the conventional 
nesting sieves. 2 
After the first separation the bulblets on the table are shoveled 
into containers, and it is necessary to put them through a grain fan- 
ning mill or other " blower " to do a little more cleaning. The bulbs 
from the hopper of this machine are allowed to alight on a wire 
sieve of about one- fourth-inch mesh as they fall through the draft. 
This removes loose soil and small heavy particles which are not 
blown out. 
Grape-hyacinth bulbs do not adapt themselves well to close sizing 
unless they are cleaned to a point that is burdensome. Fortunately, 
close sizing is not considered necessary; indeed, the hand separation 
described above will be sufficient in common practice, the smaller 
size being planted and the larger one sold. 
PLANTING STOCKS 
The character of the planting stock of grape hyacinths will de- 
pend upon the purpose and viewpoint of the grower and the de- 
mands of the market. Should the time come when these bulbs are 
used in large numbers for growing under glass, as is now common 
in foreign countries, those of large size will be in demand, but if for 
outside use bulbs of 5 to 7 centimeters (2 to 2% inches) in cir- 
cumference may be most desirable, all things considered. 
When moderate-sized bulbs, 5 to 9 centimeters (2 to 3% inches), 
are wanted after two years of undisturbed growth, the planting 
stock will consist of all the propagation under about 5 centimeters. 
When larger bulbs are desired, those up to 9 or 10 centimeters (3% 
or 4 inches) in circumference will have to be used as planting stock. 
■ These sieves are described in detail in U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 1082, The Production of 
Tulip Bulbs. Substitutes can bo made of Qesting sieve hoops or boxes the bottoms of 
Which are of Suitable sizes of wire mesh. However, injury to llie bulbs is much more 
likely to occur from wire than from perforated rawhide or laminated wood. 
