COMMERCIAL DUTCH-BULB CULTURE. 
25 
and prevent the growth of molds. As soon as the bulbs have been 
prepared by these methods they are placed in a room in which the 
temperature and moisture are under control. Some withhold heat 
for a time, simply keeping the bulbs in atmospheric temperatures; 
others apply a little heat immediately ; but in either case a compara- 
tively dry atmosphere is essential until the cut surfaces are callused. 
This takes from 10 days to two weeks. Too rapid desiccation during 
this period, however, must be avoided, or the center of the bulb will 
be injured. After callusing, the bulbs are kept in an artificial tem- 
perature and a high humidity for about three months. The tempera- 
ture will vary widely, between 70° and 90° F., the object being to get 
a maximum development- of bulblets without causing the bulbs to be 
forced into excessive leaf growth. 
It is a common practice to bury the scored bulbs under ordinary 
field conditions for 10 days or two weeks and then bring them into 
the propagating house 
(fig. 16). 
At the end of the 
period of incubation, 
which will be early 
October, the propa- 
gated bulbs are plant- 
ed in the same way 
as untreated bulbs. 
The rate of increase 
will vary not only 
with the method of FlG - 16 * — Scored hyacinth bulbs set in the open ground 
ready to be covered with earth preparatory to being 
Cutting the bulbs, but propagated in ten days or two weeks. 
also with the variety. Scooping gives a comparatively large 
number of uniform small bulblets, while the scored method pro- 
duces a smaller number of bulblets much less uniform in size but 
much larger. The former method is much more favored on account 
of the more uniform progeny, but it requires a longer time to bring 
the bulblets to maturity. In practice, all bulbs with perfect round 
bases are scooped, while those of such a character that they would 
not hold together if the bases were cut out are scored. In scored 
bulbs an average of 15 bulblets would be considered satisfactory, as 
would 35 in scooped bulbs, but the number of bulblets may run as high 
as 30 with the former and 60 to 100 with the latter treatment. 
One decided advantage of scooping is its usefulness in detecting 
diseases. By this method the base of each scale of the bulb is exposed 
to a clear view when the basal plate of the bulb is scooped out. If any 
doubt exists after this it is customary to nose the bulb also. This con- 
sists in cutting off a small portion of the tip of the bulb as well, thus 
126953°— 19- 
