r 
* 
Ready to receive the bulbs. Ample drainage provided, and the earth not packed firmly. Brought indoors ready for the forcing to begin. Note the abundance of root growth which 
The bulb is slightly imbedded before being covered must be made before the flowers are started 
Starting Bulbs for Winter Flower— nina r.allen,«. 
SEPTEMBER IS THE PLANTING MONTH FOR BULBS TO BE FORCED FOR CHRISTMAS AND EASTER— KINDS THAT 
GIVE RESULTS 
I N IHE days when we read our Emer- 
son, we learned that there is a best 
way of doing ever\’thing, even if it be 
to boil an egg. This being true, there 
is a best way of forcing bulbs, and the best 
way, I think, is also the easiest way. 
There are those who would say that the 
easiest way is to use fibre, but after experience 
with both soil and fibre, though the latter is 
clean and light, obtained without difficulty, 
and quickly prepared for use, I still regard the 
florist’s method of potting in soil and “plung- 
ing” outside as much the better mode even for 
the veriest tyro, both for results and for lack 
of trouble. 
BUY GOOD BULBS 
Always buy the best bulbs obtainable. The 
labor will be the same whether the bulbs are 
good or inferior, but the reward will not. It is 
wise to purchase from a dealer who has a rep- 
utation to keep up, and in the case of Hya- 
cinths, to buy the first size; also, double-nosed 
Narcissus bulbs will produce more blossoms 
than the single-nosed, though not necessarily 
finer ones. 
For the sake of experience, one year 
I bought my bulbs from a florist in our 
suburb who was advertising these 
wares by “dodgers” thrown on our 
porches. His Narcissus bulbs were 
satisfactory, but I saved only the ex- 
press charges, while the Hyacinths 
were third size, and, moreover, not all 
were true to name. The few cents of 
less outlay did not compensate me for 
my disappointment on this account. 
When I bujs as I suppose. Cardinal 
Wiseman, I want the bright rose 
associated with the Hyacinth of that 
name, and not a pink; and if I am plac- 
a number of La Grandesse bulbs in 
a pot, I expect them all to show white 
spikes instead of all but one; and if 
they don’t, 1 feel defrauded. 
My third size bulbs bloomed, but of 
course the spikes were not such as would have 
appeared with the same treatment from first — 
or even second — sized bulbs. 
Having ordered first-class bulbs, both as to 
size and variety, the next consideration is the 
potting-soil. 
SUITABLE POTTING-SOIL IS ESSENTIAL TO 
SUCCESS 
If you can buy the soil of a near-by florist, 
you will save yourself considerable trouble. 
If one prepares it for himself, he should use 
equal parts of good loam, sand, and thoroughly 
rotted cow manure. Unfortunately, it is 
difficult for most city dwellers to obtain the 
latter. Those who cannot, may substitute 
fine bonemeal, a teacupful to a half-bushel of 
soil. If bonemeal be employed, humus must 
be supplied in some form. Leafmold is gen- 
erally as inaccessible as cow manure except in 
suburban or country neighborhoods. A com- 
post of rotted sods, or the fibrous material 
found below turf, may be used in place of it. I 
have also employed a commercial form of hu- 
mus — the sort so widely advertised with 
clever illustrations — with good results. From 
personal observation, I know that this brand 
promotes an abundant and vigorous root 
growth, a thing greatly to be desired for bulbs, 
as the size and beauty of the flowers depend on 
this condition. Clear, gritty sand is equally 
as important as humus or fertilizer, for it con- 
tributes to friability, and consequently to good 
drainage. A soil light enough not to become 
soggy and sour is of the utmost importance for 
bulbs. 
One part of commercial humus, or other 
vegetable matter, to three of loam and one of 
sand will serve when cow manure cannot be 
obtained and fine bonemeal must be used as a 
fertilizer. 
WHEN TO POT 
As in the case of bulbs planted in beds or 
borders, most of those intended for indoor 
blooming should be put into soil, during the 
month of October, and the nearer its first 
day the better. The sturdier sorts, such as 
Dutch Hyacinths and some Narcissus, may be 
potted as late as the middle of November. But 
it should be remembered that all 
bulbs are gradually losing \itality 
during their dormant period, and, left 
out of the soil too long, will either fail 
entirely or be less fine than they would 
have been if planted earlier. For this 
reason. Crocus often fail to sprout. 
Set in earth in November or later, the 
life within is at its lowest ebb, and 
they are beyond rallying. 
CHOICE OF BULBS 
The hardy Dutch Hyacinths, pre- 
ferably the single because they are 
more graceful. Narcissus of various 
sorts — Poetaz, Trumpet, Poeticus orn- 
atus, and the double-flowering var- 
ieties, Orange Phoenix and Van Sion — 
with the more tender Roman Hya- 
cinths and the Paper White and other 
polyanthus Narcissus will give suffici- 
Bulbs planted in boxes or pots and buried early in a shallow trench outside will 
make root properly and may be brought indoors as required 
44 
