cations of surface and direction of laterals 
that are not shown, but the figure illustrates 
the principle, and shows the saving of land 
and of labor in tillage and in harvest. 
8th. Tile drainage warms the soil, especially 
in Spring. It prevents the formation of ice in 
Winter, which must be thawed and evapora¬ 
ted with great waste of heat. It also admits 
the downv ard flow of showers carrying their 
warmth; and by loosening the soil and re¬ 
moving the water of saturation permits the 
warm air to circulate downwards towards 
and through the drains. The thermometer 
stands from five to 15 degrees higher in 
Spring and early Summer at a depth of a few 
inches in drained than in undiained soil. 
And this difference with the freedom from 
I-! 
FlUUKli <>J-K 
surplus moisture is often enough to save the 
seed-corn from rotting. It is true a drained 
soil will freeze deeper in Winter, just as a 
sandy or gravelly one will; but it will thaw 
far quicker in Spring. And this very freezing 
and thawing pulverizes and aerates the soil as 
deep as it goes, and is thus n great advantage. 
iith. Tile draiuage enables the soil to absorb 
•more fertilising substances from air and rain. 
Considerable ammonia and especially nitric 
acid are borne down in dews and rains, es¬ 
pecially in thunder storms. If the water floods 
from the surface this supply of available nitro¬ 
gen is wasted. If the water filters down to 
the drains the nitrogen is saved in the soil 
where the roots can use it. 
10th. Tile drainage of large areas of wet, 
level lands always improves the health of man 
and beast as well as of crops on the land. A 
high-water level below the surface with fre¬ 
quent flooding and with stagnant water, is 
Fig ci-ut two. 
a well-known cause of malarial fevers and 
probably of typhoid fevers and dysentery. 
Drainage removes the cause, and the effect 
largely ceases. Several diseases of animals 
nearly or quite disappear after thorough 
drainage of large tracts of land. Notably 
is this true of “lung worm” and foot-rot 
among sheep. 
11th. Tile drainage often renders grain-rais¬ 
ing, fruit growing and mixed husbandry profit¬ 
able when only grazing was possible before. 
These are som? of the main reasons “Why 
We Drain.” Others will appear and these will 
be more fully illustrated in future articles 
under the several heads “Where to Drain,” 
“When to Drain,” “How to Drain,” and 
the like. 
florintllitml. 
KAYS. 
“Dutch Bulbs” are hyacinths, tulips, cro¬ 
cuses, snowdrops, Crown Imperials and the 
like, tha r are grown in vast quantities in Hol¬ 
land, but are not necessarily natives of that 
country. In August and September these 
bulbs are exported from Holland to every 
civilized country on the face of the earth. 
Our seedsmen and florists get the bulk of their 
bulbs from there, still, if you were to visit 
Such's at South Amboy, N. J., Hallock, Son 
& Tnorpe’s and Allan’s at Queens, N. Y., you 
would think we also did something in the way 
of bulb growing in America, especially when 
it comes to gladioli, lilies, tigridias and 
tuberoses. 
* * 
“Dutch Bulbs,” as exposed for sale in our 
seed-stores, are usually of good quality and 
all blooming bulbs, that is, every one is likely 
THE RURAL fi£W-¥«>RKER. OCT 21 
to blossom next year. Hyacinths are always 
high-priced, but tulips, squills, crocuses and 
snowdrops are very cheap; of course, new 
and rare sorts of any kind are dearer than 
common ones. The apparent disparagement 
between American and Holland prices is jus¬ 
tifiable when you take into account the ex¬ 
penses of importing together with 40 per cent 
of custom duty on bulbous plants. 
* * 
Under ordiuary conditions these Dutch 
bulbs bloom splendidly the first season after 
being planted, but after that they grow 
weaker and poorer each succeeding year. 
Now, this need not be so. In Holland the 
utmost pains are taken with their cultiva¬ 
tion—deeply worked, highly enriched, well 
watered and attentively cultivated land is the 
rule, and with equal painstaking and high cul¬ 
tivation here we can grow as good and lasting 
bulbs as the folks in the Netherlands can, but 
without these requisites we cannot, and our 
bulbs will degenerate. Regarding the culti¬ 
vation of bulbous plants, Krelage of Holland 
and Vilmorin of France, two of the most prom¬ 
inent bulb-growing firms in the world, say that 
in order to have high-class, good flowering 
bulbs, the bulbs should be transplanted every 
year, and that there is no exception to this rule 
—no, not even in the case of lilies, daffodils and 
crocuses, which are so often recommended to 
be left alone undisturbed for years after being 
planted. Such annual transplanting may be 
as good as they represent it, but amateurs 
who are unacquainted with the minute de¬ 
tails of bulb care had better stick to their 
permanent clumps of narcissuses, snowdrops 
and lilies. 
* * 
When we plant a bed with hyacinths, tulips 
or other bulbs it is a common practice to 
place a mulching of leaves or litter over it 
for the Winter, which we intend to remove 
before the plants begin to grow in Spring. 
By this means you protect the bulbs in early 
Winter when they need no protection; you 
incite an early growth when you should en¬ 
courage a late start, as the leaves grow up 
and through the mulching by removing it you 
expose their bleached growth to frosty winds 
and drying suns, and do more mischief than 
if you had not mulched at all. Plant deep, 
and if you will mulch, do so with well rotted 
manure or leaf mold and let it stay there till 
the bulbs have done blooming. After the 
plants appear above ground, in the event of 
frosty nights succeeding bright and warm 
days, a mat, some straw or other handy 
covering may be laid over them lightly to 
help protect the flower buds, but it should be 
removed in the morning. 
* * 
In planting bulbs, as crocuses, snowdrops, 
squills and aconites, in the grass, it is a com¬ 
mon practice to spatter them all over the 
lawns and banks and under the trees, but that 
method is not to be recommended. When 
you plant snowdrops, for instance, select a 
certain spot and dibble them into the grass 
there, broadcast and as thickly as you please, 
and let them become thinner and thinner 
towards the out edge of the patch. Imitate 
nature, keep each kind by itself, except 
maybe where a few of the out-edge strag¬ 
glers become mixed up together. 
* * 
Plant hyacinths six to eight inches deep in 
soil that has been worked a foot deep or more. 
If the soil is heavy, leaf soil and sand in 
liberal measure will lighten it; if light, intro¬ 
duce a barrowful or more of rich loam; if 
very poor, add some cow manure rotted to 
earthy fineness, or mulch the bed with a coat¬ 
ing of substantial barn-yard manure. But do 
not introduce green or rank manure into your 
hvacintb bed. If for but a season’s show, you 
may plant your hyacinths in any exposure, 
as an open flower bed, a sunny or a shady 
place; the bulbs have substance enough within 
themselves to produce good flower-spikes, but 
if you wish them to bloom year after year, 
give them a warm, sheltered nook, not subject 
to severe dryiug, and in deep, rich soil not 
robbed by encroaching tree-roots. Give pref¬ 
erence to single hyacinths. Roman Hyacinths 
are early, hardy (with me at any rate) but 
more fitted for pot than oat-door garden cul¬ 
ture. Then there are Plume Hyacinths, Grape 
Hyacinths and Musk Hyacinth all comely 
and desirable hardy perennials. They begin 
to grow in September, but that does not seem 
to hurt them much; they blossom in Spring, 
and are not at all fastidious as to quarters, but 
prefer a somewhat shady place. Their botan¬ 
ical name is Muscari. The Summer Hyacinth 
(Candicans) is an African, rank in growth, free 
in bloom, hardy, and exceedingly productive, 
especially from seed which it ripens in large 
quantity, and one-year-old seedlings make 
blooming plants. 
• * 
Tulips love deep, well-enriched but open 
soil. When planted in summer-to be-fllled 
beds, of course they must be removed after 
they have done blooming. With rich culture 
they are not likely to degenerate. About 
the earliest tulips is a species called Kolpakow- 
skiana, from Turkistan; and the most gor¬ 
geous one is called Greigi. The last-named 
in addition to its glowing, scarlet cups, has 
leaves variegated with brown; it iB expensive. 
Elegant and fulgens are two handsome tulips 
oat of the ordinary run, and Cornuta and 
Parrot Tulips are “rather odd.” Due Van 
Thol Tulips, red or yellow, are very early; 
Pottebakker, red, white or yellow, is a stan¬ 
dard variety for planting in beds. 
* * 
All the kinds of narcissus advertised in 
the catalogues will likely prove hardy enough 
and blossom well the next Spring after being 
planted, but after that, most of the sorts will 
probably grow weaker and gradually disap¬ 
pear. The Poet’s Narcissus, double and single 
daffodils are permanent enough, however, and 
jonquils, Two-flowered, Incomparable, and 
many other sorts under a high state of culti 
vation, may prove satisfactory and perma¬ 
nent, They like a deep, rich, sandy loam, 
well drained but not over-dry, and warm, 
sheltered quarters. You can grow them to 
perfection in a cold frame. Plant in clumps 
of six or more bulbs, and according to the 
6ize of the bulbs, from four to eight inches 
deep. Daffodils delight to grow near water. 
After planting if they do well, do not dis¬ 
turb them for years. 
* * 
Plant crocuses four to five inches deep, 
in rows in the grass surrounding your flower 
beds, in clumps iu your shrubbery beds or 
borders, or broadcast on your lawns. Besides 
the many Spring crocuses, get some that blos¬ 
som iu the Fall, notably Speciosus. <x lovely 
blue; Sativus, violet purple; and Pulchellus, 
pale blue. Also some Meadow Saffrons (Col- 
chieum) whose large and lovely pale rose 
flowers are borne in September and October 
when the plants are otherwise leafless. These 
Fall bloomers should be got in July. The 
Spring Meadow Siffrou (Bulbocodiuiu) has 
purple flowers io early Spring, but, although 
desirable, it is not so much so as the proceeding. 
* * 
Siberian Squills, bright porcelain blue, 
are among the loveliest early Spring flowers wg 
have. They grow on and blossom year after 
year and multiply exceedingly by seedlings. 
Almost any soil or gituatiou. Scilla bifolia, 
blossoms about the same time as the proceed¬ 
ing but is smaller, less conspicuous and of 
shorter duration; S. amoeaa is as bright in 
color, larger in growth and later in bloom¬ 
ing. The Harebell Squills (Campanulata) are 
also desirable. 
* * 
Snowdrops are very cheap. The single 
form is more comely than the double one, 
and the Crimson Saow.irop is the largest of 
alL Plant four to five inches deep. 
* * 
European Dog-tooth Violet?, purple, rose 
and white, are hardy, copious and pretty ;tbey 
blossom earlier and more surely than our 
American one, but not so early as our Rocky 
Mountain yellow one. A cool, moist, shady 
spot, as in the front of a shrubbery bed, near 
a fence, or iu some corner. Good, rich, open 
soil, with leaf soil in it, but they are not very 
particular. Associated with them thrive 
Winter aconites, Spring Bsauty, Wood Ane¬ 
mones, Star Flowers, hepaticas and the like. 
Plant them four to five inches deep and in 
clumps of 10 or l'J bulbs, about an inch apart. 
♦ * 
Cbown Imperials are stately plants that 
grow up vigorously iu earliest Spring, bloom 
about May-day, aud fade quickly; both fliw- 
ers and leaves and stems are past before the 
Summer fairly opens. There are varieties 
with red, orange, and yellow flowers, and 
plain green or variegated leaves. In poor or 
tree-root-robbed soil Crown Imperials will 
not blossom well, if at all, afterthe first year; 
but in rich soil and a high state of cultivation 
they bloom year after year. Guinea-hen 
flowers, relatives of the last, are hardy, cop¬ 
ious, and cheap, and thrive in clumps among 
the bushes or in the borders. la moderately 
rich soil they will not degenerate. The Per¬ 
sian Fritillaria has brownish flowers; the Obli¬ 
que-leaved, chocolate-colored, and both do well 
as garden plants. 
* * 
Among bulbous irises what are known as 
EaglUh and Spanish Irises are worth growing 
in any garden, and, though a little tender, so 
is the Persian Iris. Plant them five inches 
deep and mulch the ground with rotted man¬ 
ure. They start into growth early. They 
often begin to grow in the Fall and in this 
way so weaken themselves as to become a 
prey to Winter; therefore, about the end of 
July it is a good plan to lift the bulbs and 
keep them dry as you would an oxalis, and 
plant them out again in October. But Iris 
reticulata is the gem among them. It is small) 
deep rich violet purple, fragrant; blossoms 
when the crocuses do, and is hardy. Leon. 
-* 
PLANT-PITS OR COLD-FRAMES. 
Every lover of plant-decoration should have 
a plant-pit, or 4 * cold-frame”, as it is called 
and when its advantages and economy of 
time and care are understood, the masculine 
arms of the household will be very willing to 
dig out the pit and put in the frame that is to 
support the hot-bed sash covering. If this is 
ready in a convenient, sheltered spot of dry 
ground, open to the morning sun, it serves in 
August for starting the cuttings from larger 
plants, which are to be kept over Winter for 
Spring blooming and for Summer bedding, 
and in September, when the half-grown 
plants which have been kept during the Sum¬ 
mer in some reserve bed gaining strength for 
blooming through the Winter, are taken up 
and potted, this frame is a great convenience 
to set them in, where the moisture of the earth 
imparts moisture to the air, and where shade 
for a few days is so easily given. Here they 
can stay unmoved for two or three months, or 
such of them as ara not ready or wanted for 
the house. Here they have the benefit of open 
air, sunshine and rain, and they gain the 
deep green and bright colors of perfect health 
and vigor. At that season few insects exist. 
If some slugs come about, a sprinkling of lime 
or soot or ashes on the surface under the pots 
repels them. 
This is written Nov. 13, 1881. The day is 
bright and April-like, and the sash of my pit 
is turned up and fastened by a rod so that the 
wind may not cause breakage of glass. The 
rosy, glowing health of the plants is delight¬ 
ful to see, aud the bursting out of bloom on 
geraniums, fuchias, roses, etc., is rich with 
promise. Some other plants that have been 
kept indoors look very well, but have nothing 
like the robust beauty of those that have uever 
felt the influences of fire-beat and of dry air. 
Somo of the pit plauts have scarcely been 
watered once in a month, although the sash 
has been turned off whenever the air has been 
above 55 deg., and left down, but raised at the 
upper end whenever cold rain has been falling. 
Soon now the plants that show faded leaves 
and are disposed to rest will be put from the 
pit into a cellar, to remain till Spring. Others 
that drop their leaves altogether can either 
remain in the pit or go to the cellar, as they 
will not want light until they open growth. 
Those that are to bloom through Winter must 
be taken in before out-door cold becomes 
strong enough to penetrate down into the 
pit through the shatter covering and the glass. 
Where there is a steep bank, as of a terrace, 
the pit can be made in its face—the sash al¬ 
most erect and the plants on earthern shelves 
as easy of access as if in a cupboard. G. w. 
Storing Dahlia Roots. 
It is the season for storing dahlia roots, 
“the time,” says a Gardner’s Chronicle writer, 
“when the woods have a rumour that 
propnesiea death.” Some prefer to lift them 
as soon as frost has destroyed their foliage, 
cutting the stems low down so that no sap 
from the decaying parts may infect the roots. 
A writer in the Garden says that the chief 
point is to take them up on a dry day, with 
care not to break roots, and put them in a 
dry, bool place safe from molding, as well as 
quite safe from frost. If the cellar floor be¬ 
comes damp they should be put in a box 
raised off it. They must not be exposed to 
free, dry air, however, so as to shrivel. A 
covering of some sort to keep the air still 
about them is needful. They keep in perfect 
condition, even the smallest fibers of the roots 
retaining their plumpuess and vitality, if 
covered wholly with sifted coal ashes. A 
slender stake bearing the name of color may 
be stuck in the end of the hollow stem where 
cut off four or five inches atK,ve the crown; 
but the hollow must not retain any wetness or 
it may decay to the collar on which are all 
the buds, which, if rotted off, would leave no 
chance for germination. w. 
^rborinittuval. 
SUMAC AND ITS USES. 
Sumac is not always sumac; that is, it dif¬ 
fers so much in its peculiar characteristics 
upon various soil* or in various latitudes, or 
in its quality by reason of the mode of prepa¬ 
ration, that while in one place it may be ex¬ 
ceedingly valuable, in another it may he al¬ 
most worthless and quite unsalable. Its value 
consists entirely in the tannin contained in it. 
Tannin is a hitter, astringent substance which 
possesses the curious property of combining 
chemically with gelatine or glue, which is 
soluble in water, and forming a compound 
which is insoluble and becomes very hard. 
On this account it is used in transforming 
hides, which consist mainly of gelatine with 
fl brine, into leather. The bides could bs read 
ily boiled iuto a jelly, which, when dry, 
would be glue, but by the combination with 
the tannin the gelatinous substance is made 
insoluble, aud is fixed in its natural combina¬ 
tion with the fibrine and then forms that 
strong, durable and almost indestructible 
