Sl6 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
l"ig. 1.— GRAPE HTACINTH. 
Notes on Spring Flowering Bnlbs. 
Those who would liave then- gardens bright 
with early spring flowers, as well as those who 
would enjoy their indoor blooming in winter, 
must look to it noic, as this is the month in 
which certain bulbs go into the ground, as well 
as the one in which others, such as the Tiger- 
flower, Jacobean Lily, Gladiolus, etc., come out 
of it. The bulbs planted at this season for 
spring flowering, ai'e known as Dutch bulbs, for 
the reason that they are mainly imported from 
Holland, where, especially around Haerlem, 
they are an important article of culture and of 
commerce. Whole farms are there devoted to 
bulb culture, and it is from these that vast quan- 
tities are sent to beautify the gardens of distant 
parts of the world. To adepts in gardening, it 
is not necessary to speak of the value of this 
class of plants, nor to describe them and their 
mode of culture. But there are many among 
our readers who are novices in flower cultm'e, 
to whom a few notes upon these plants and 
their treatment will be acceptable. It is well to 
bear in mind that our liberal postal arrange- 
ments now make bulbs as well as seeds, readily 
accessible to those who live at a distance from 
cities. All of the principal seedsmen publish a 
bulb catalogue in the fall, whicli they send upon 
application, and forward by mail such articles 
as may be ordered. — It is much better to plant 
the bulbs in groups than to scatter them here 
and there. If set in ordinary garden soil they 
will flower tolerably, but their much finer bloom 
in a properly prepared soil will well repay the 
trouble of fitting it for them. The soil should 
be light, warm, and rich, and though sufficiently 
retentive of moisture for the plants not to sufier 
in drouth, it should not be wet. If the garden 
soil be stiff, add sand in sufficient quantity to 
make it light, and an abuiulanee of well decom- 
pose"d cow manure — at least enough to have it 
form one third of the soil to the depth of 18 
inches. The spot being well spaded over to 
that depth, it is ready for the bulbs, and the 
sooner they are planted the better. Where there 
is a sufficient number of the bulbs, a very pleas- 
ing efiect may be produced by planting them in 
circles one within another, each circle being 
formed of those with flowers of the same color, 
the colors alternating to suit the fancy. The 
large bulbs require to be set deeper than the 
smaller ones ; as a general rule the depth should 
be twice the length of the bulb. lu spading up 
the earth and adding manure, the bulb bed will 
be raised above the general level ; it is best to 
leave it so, as it will prevent water from settling 
on it. When the weather becomes cold enough 
to freeze the ground, cover the bed with a good 
coat of long manure, leaves with a little earth 
thrown on to hold them, or any other conveni- 
ent litter, which is to be carefully removed in 
spring. The after treatment jp given at the prop- 
er time in our monthly calendar. — Bulbs may 
be easily grown in pots, and they make most 
pleasing ornaments for the parlor ; one to three 
of the larger bulbs, and more of the smaller 
kinds being planted in a pot. The soil used for 
potting should be similar to that for garden cul- 
ture : equal parts of sand, good garden mould, 
and well rotted cow-dung, and, if the garden 
soil be not rich in vegetable matter, add some 
leaf mould. Provide the pots with good drain- 
age by putting in the bottom an inch or so of 
fragments of pots, then fill them with the earth 
and plant the bulbs, leaving then- crowns well 
above the surface of the soil. Water thor- 
oughly and place the pots in a dark closet, or 
other dark and warm place, where they are to 
remain with occasional watering until the earth 
is well filled with roots. With a little care the 
ball of earth may be turned out of the pot and 
the condition of the roots inspected. When 
the roots appear in abundance upon the outside 
of the ball of earth, remove the pots to a light 
window. If the leaves and flower spikes have 
pushed in the dark, they will probably be very 
pale, but with a few days' exposure to the light 
they will take on a green color. Give plenty of 
water and remove the small offsets that spring 
up from the base of the bulb. After blooming, 
the plants need less water, and when the leaves 
fade, the bulb should be dried ofl' altogether 
and removed from the earth, and kept for plant- 
ing in the open ground the nest fall. Bulbs 
may be flowered in pure sand, free from salt, or 
in moss— the treatment, as to keejiing in the 
dark, etc., being the same as in pots of earth ; 
but in these cases the bulb if wished for futuie 
use, Meeds to be planted in earth, after bloom- 
ing, in order to mature it. Hyacinths and Tu- 
lips are frequently bloomed in water, in glasses 
sold for the purpose. The glasses are filled 
with rain water and the bulb placed so that the 
bottom just touches the water. Keep about 
two weeks in the dark, and then bring them to 
the light. The roots and the glass need wash- 
ing, and the water to be changed about once in 
two weeks. If it is desired to save bulbs grown 
in water, they must also be transferred to earth 
to ripen. Having occupied so much space in 
giving the general treatment of bidbs, our descrip- 
tive notes of the kinds must necessarily be brief: 
Byacinth. — This is put at the head of the list 
because if we could have but one, it would be 
this. It is both showy and fragrant and gives 
a great variety of color. There are double and 
single varieties. Plant 4 inches deep, and 8 apart. 
Tulips. — There are several distinct classes of 
these, each presenting a great variety of color. 
The Early Bedding Tulips are dwarf in their 
growth, and flower much earlier than the oth- 
ers ; they are also best adapted to pot-culture. 
Florists or Show Tulips are taller and later. 
Besides these, there are the Double, and the Par- 
rot kinds. For all, except florists, the Early 
Dwarfs are best. They produce the most strik- 
ing effect when planted in masses. 
Narcissus. — This genus furnishes several 
pleasing spring flowers, known by different gar- 
den names, the principal of which are the Jon- 
quil, Dafibdil, and Polyanthus Narcissus. The 
last named is the most beautiful, but is some- 
what tender, and the bulbs after planting re- 
quire a good covering of litter to protect them. 
Fig. i3. — SPRING SNOW PLAKE. 
Crown Imperial.— A large ill-smelling bulb, 
which should be planted deep. In April it 
throws up a strong stem some three feet high, 
surmounted by a crown of leaves, and large 
and showy hanging flowers. There are several 
colors, double and single. The plant has a 
very stately air and makes a fine center for a 
circular bed of hyacinths and other bulbs. 
Crocus. — Charming little flowers which bloom 
very early, often in March, if the situation is fa- 
vorable. Clumps of these all of one color, pro- 
duce a fine effect, either in the lawn or border. 
