BULB GROWING AT THE UNITED STATES BULB GARDEN. 21 
SUMMARY. 
The tests of the United States Department of Agriculture of the 
possibility of growing so-called "Dutch bulbs" in this country have 
shown very encouraging results and are attracting widespread 
interest. 
Thousands of people from Bellingham, Everett, Tacoma, Seattle, 
Portland, and other cities visit the garden near Bellingham, Wash., 
each spring to enjoy the hundreds of thousands of blooms with their 
many gorgeous colors, which are in masses such as can not be seen 
elsewhere in this country, making a most magnificent sight. 
Interest in the possible outcome of this work is not confined to the 
people of the United States, for already representatives of several 
bulb farmers in the Netherlands have visited the garden, inspected 
the work, and observed the results. 
Before the Department of Agriculture will be justified in advo- 
cating the growing of so-called " Dutch bulbs " as a commercial in- 
dustry in this country much remains to be learned regarding the 
climatic and soil conditions best suited to the crop; the selection, 
clearing, grading, and preparation of the land (much of that in 
the far Northwest which is now thought to be well located and 
suitable to bulb growing will cost from $75 to $150 per acre to put 
it in shape for planting, in addition to the cost of the land) ; the pre- 
vention and control of diseases affecting the crop, of which a con- 
siderable number are more or less serious; and the propagation, 
cultivation, fertilization, growing, harvesting, curing, storing, trans- 
portation, and marketing of the crop. 
The Department of Agriculture extends a hearty invitation to all 
who are interested in this enterprise to visit the bulb garden and 
inspect the work. 
The representative of the Department in charge of the garden 
will welcome visitors and be glad to give information relative to the 
work that is in progress. 
ADDITIONAL COPIES of this publication 
-£i- may be procured from the Superintend- 
ent of Documents, Government Printing 
Office, Washington, D. C , at 5 cents per copy 
WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1913 
