6 BULLETIN 1270, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
The bed system is the most exact and is the one employed in the 
cultures described here. In it the bulbs are all placed in geometrical 
design, the position of each bulb is known, and there is consequently 
less loss from cut and lost bulbs than is the case in more extensive 
methods. 
In planting in the bed system the soil is thrown out of the first 
bed to the depth of 4 inches or more, the bottom of the depression 
is raked smooth, and a marker is run through to mark the edges and 
the center of the bed, as well as the rows 6 inches apart across the 
bed. (PI. I, fig. 1.) 
After the bulbs have been set the second bed is opened like the 
first, but the soil removed is used in covering the bulbs in the first 
bed. The remainder of the plat is planted by repeating these proc- 
esses. 
In row planting, whether in single or double rows, the depression 
for the reception of the bulbs is made with a plow, a single-shovel 
cultivator with wings attached, or even at times with a wheel hand 
implement. With the first two methods a rake is sometimes used, 
as in the bed system, to level the bottom of the trench. The danger 
with a wheel hand plow is that the bulbs are not placed deep enough. 
The large bulbs require that the beds be opened nearly 5 inches deep. 
The smaller bulbs can be set a little shallower. 
TIME OF PLANTING 
The advice of a leading Netherlands grower of bulbs to an Ameri- 
can, " Plant as early in September as possible," is good. The grower 
of imported bulbs, however, can seldom get his stocks delivered so as 
to plant before October. 
In the handling of domestic stocks, however, it has been the prac- 
tice of the Department of Agriculture to plant much earlier. Plant- 
ing time in these experimental investigations of recent years has 
been in August. In past years planting has been delayed sometimes 
even to December, but the earlier date is greatly to be preferred. 
There have been two reasons for the earlier planting: (1) Our labor 
returns to school September 1, and (2) in the Puget Sound region 
labor efficiency is likely to be interfered with by copious rains in 
September, and the weather in October is likely to be so wet that it 
is not practicable to try to operate on the heavy soils on which the 
work is being conducted. 
To summarize, daffodil bulbs can be planted from August to De- 
cember, but for best results in commercial production they should, 
if possible, be set by the end of September. 
AUTUMN TREATMENT OF THE BEDS 
When daffodils are planted the soil is left rough as it drops from 
tin' shovel. It is allowed to settle naturally. No effort is made to 
pack the soil. This is accomplished by the rains much more effec- 
tively than is necessary. Really no attention need be paid to the 
plantings after the bulbs are covered until the weeds begin to grow. 
\ - weed seed germinates a wheel hoe with weeder knives is run over 
i lie beds as often as is necessary to keep them scrupulously clean until 
the weather Is too cold for weeds to grow. Even the ubiquitous 
