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BARR’S GENERAL BULB CATALOGUE, Autumn, 1910. 
A few Practical Hints on Bulb Culture. 
Culture for Spring-flowering Bulbs out of Doors. 
Proper Condition of Soil. — Plant bulbs only when the ground is in a nice friable state, and 
never when the soil is wet and sticky ; in such cases plant later when the soil is in a good friable condition. 
Alter digging or trenching, the ground should be allowed to settle at least ten days before planting. 
Depth to Plant. — Many amateurs commit the fault of planting bulbs too deeply (crocuses especially), 
and consequently have failures. A good general rule to follow is to cover the bulb with soil once and 
a half to twice its own depth, but not more, measuring the bulb from base to shoulder. Thus a daffodil 
bulb measuring two inches from base to shoulder should be covered with three to four inches of soil, and 
a crocus bulb measuring one inch in depth with only one and a half to two inches of soil. These remarks 
do not apply to Erythroniums and Snowdrops, for which special directions are given. 
Proper time to Plant and Best Position. — Information on this subject is given at the heading 
of each family. 
Manure for Bulbs. — All bulbs object to the ammonia in fresh stable manure, such therefore 
should never be used, but only well-decayed stable or cow manure ; the material from an exhausted 
hot-bed is a good manure, especially on light soils. The safest manures for all bulbs growing outdoors is 
Phytobroma (price 20/- per cwt. ; 2/6 per 7 lbs.) or phosphatic basic slag (price 6/6 per cwt. ; 1/- 
-per 14 lbs.) for heavy soils, and crushed bones (price 12/6 per cwt., 1/- per 7 lbs.) for light and sandy soils. 
The Phytobroma should be applied at the rate of 8 cwt. per acre, or 3 oz. per square yard, early in 
spring, when top growth is showing ; Phosphatic Basic Slag or Crushed Bones should be put in the 
ground with the bulbs at the time of planting, the former at the rate of I ton per acre, or 7) oz. per 
square yard, and the latter at the rate of 4 cwt. to the acre, or ij oz. to the square yard, and after 
planting, sprinkle on the surface of the ground Sulphate of Potash at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre or J oz. 
per square yard (price 21/- per cwt., 1/9 per 7 lbs.). Where basic slag or crushed bones are used, 
Phytobroma may also be given at the rate of ij oz. to the square yard in spring, when top growth is 
showing. On hot dry and sandy soils, old stable manure may with advantage be used, to act as a 
sponge to hold moisture in the soil ; it should be dug in 15 to 18 inches deep, so as not to come in 
contact with the bulbs. Where stable manure is used we recommend also Vaporite (see page 96) being 
mixed with it so as to destroy any injurious insect life it may contain. 
For bulbs grown in pots 1 lb. of Phytobroma should be mixed with ev^ry bushel of soil, and a 
teaspoonful to each pot should be used as a surface dressing when the flower-buds are forming (see page 96). 
Top Dressing. — Where possible, we advise a top dressing to all bulbs through the winter months 
with some light material such as long straw litter, cut heather, cut furze branches, or cut fern bracken 
resting on pea sticks (cut fern used by itself lies too wet and is apt to rot the young growths). The 
advantage of this light covering is that it keeps the surface soil sweet by preventing the heavy autumnal 
rains from beating down the earth’s crust ; it also protects any early top growth. 
Lifting and Replanting. — When bulbs are lifted they should not, if possible, be replanted on the 
same ground, but where other bulbs or plants have previously been growing : thus, where Tulips have 
been growing last season, plant Narcissi this autumn, and so on. 
Culture for Spring-flowering Bulbs in Pots or Boxes. 
Time of Potting. — From the middle of September to the middle of October is the best njpnth for 
potting most Spring-flowering bulbs. 
The best compost to use is a mixture of two-thirds good fibrous loam (which should be pulled 
to pieces by the hand, and not passed through a sieve , so as to retain in the soil as much old root fibre 
as possible), and one-third old decayed leaf soil, with a sprinkling of sharp silver sand, adding ij lbs. 
of bone meal or I- lb. of Phytobroma (see page 96) to every bushel of soil, which mix Well together before 
using. In all cases the soil used should be fresh and sweet ; never pot in soil that is wet or sticky. Barr’s 
^Fertilised Fibre, Shell and Charcoal Mixture ( see page 2 of Cover) may also be used ; it is light and cleanly 
to handle, and is a suitable medium for growing all kinds of spring-flowering bulbs in pots or vases, cither 
for indoor decoration or for cutting. 
Sterilising Soil.— In order to destroy all injurious insect life it is a good plan to sterilise potting 
soil before adding the Phytobroma or bonemeal. This can be easily done by placing a bushel of soil in a 
sack, pouring over it a large kettle of boiling water and then spreading out the soil to dry. This will 
prevent a great deal of after trouble from worms or insects attacking the bulb roots. Another method of 
freeing soil of insect life is to use Vaporite ( see page 96). 
The pots should be carefully washed out with boiling water and wiped dry before using. Never 
use dirty or wet pots. 
Good drainage should be secured by placing three or more pieces of charcoal (in preference 
to broken crocks) over the drainage hole, covering the charcoal or crocks with a little rough fibre from 
the loam. When boxes are used, the slit at bottom of box should be covered with pieces of charcoal, 
and a good layer of rough fibrous loam or leaf soil placed at bottom of box to ensure perfect drainage. 
Covering the Bulbs. — The larger bulbs need not be quite covered with soil, the level of which 
should be half an inch below the rim of the pot, to allow of watering when the bulbs are in growth. 
After potting, stand the pots or boxes outside in the open, on a firm bottom such as a bed of 
ashes or a gravel path to prevent the entrance of worms. They should then be surrounded and com- 
pletely covered with Cocoa Fibre, old decayed leaf soil or very old ashes (free from sulphur), the tops 
being 2 inches below the surface of the covering material. This will secure a natural and moist condition 
to the bulbs and encourage root action. So long as the pots or boxes remain buried in this way they will 
require no watering. 
