1908 
BARR’S 
Autumn Bulb Catalogue. 
Five Gold Medals awarded 1908. 
We have again received the highest awards this season, our exhibits having received 
Gold Medals at London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Shrewsbury, and Brecon. 
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. 
Preparing Ground for Bulbs. — After digging or trenching, the ground should be allowed to settle 
at least ten days before planling. 
Depth to Plant. — Many amateurs commit the fault of planting too deeply, and thousands of bulbs 
are spoilt in this way annually (crocuses especially). 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 dalfodil 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. 
Proper time to Plant and Best Position. — Information on this subject is given at the heading 
of each family. Amateurs frequently fail with many bulbous plants through planting at the wrong season, 
thinking that because September is the proper time to plant crocuses, all other autumn bulbs should be 
planted in the same month : whereas Tulips, Anemones, Ranunculi, Ixias, Sparaxis, Early Gladioli, etc., 
should not be planted before October or November. 
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 10/6 per cwt. ; I /- 
per 7 lbs.) for heavy soils, and crushed bones (price 14/- per cwt., 1/3 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 7j oz. per 
square yard, and the latter at the rate of 4 cwt. to the acre, or oz. to the square yard, and after 
planting, sprinkle on the surface of the ground Sulphate ok 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 i|- 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 bulbs are grown in quantity for cutting, plant them on a piece of ground 
off which a vegetable crop (potatoes by preference) has been taken. The previous manuring for the 
potatoes, and the working of the soil in lifting them, brings the ground into first-rate condition for bulbs, 
and no more manure is required. 
For bulbs grown in pots 1 lb. of Phytobroma should be mixed with every bushel of soil, and a 
teaspoonful should be used as a surface dressing when the flower-buds are forming {see page 94). 
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, etc., 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 month for 
potting 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, wilh a sprinkling of sharp silver sand, adding 1 1 lbs. 
of bone meal or 1 lb. of Phytobroma {see page 94) to every bushel of soil, which mix well together before 
using. Never pot in soil that is wet or sticky. 
The pots should be carefully washed or wiped clean before using. Never pot in dirty or wet pots. 
Good drainage should be secured by placing three or more pieces of broken crocks over the 
drainage hole, placing the crocks with bevelled sides uppermost, and then covering with a little rough 
fibre from the loam. When boxes are used, the slit at bottom of box should be covered with crocks, 
and a good layer of rough fibrous loam placed at bottom of box, or a layer of leaf soil 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. 
A 
