36 
A very simple sprouting pack for a very few bulblets 
consists of a couple of layers of cotton batting. We 
placed six peeled bulblets of Henry Ford in such a pack, 
without previous soaking, sprinkled a few drops of 
water on the cotton, and placed them in the sprouting 
cabinet with a temperature of about 60 degrees. Within 
24 hours all had started roots, some of which were a 
quarter of an inch long. Then we treated some bulb¬ 
lets of Dr. F. E. Bennett the same way, but examined 
them more quickly, and found within 12 hours all had 
started roots, some of which were more than an eighth 
of an inch in length. 
On the other hand, some varieties which finally 
gave a high percentage of germination are very slow 
in starting to sprout. Next season we must remember 
to start these a month or so earlier. 
A few varieties will prove very obstinate and if 
after trying them a couple of seasons we do not get a 
good germination, they had better be discarded, for 
unless a variety is a reasonably good germinator it will 
never be in great demand among the florists as a cut 
flower variety. To make the most profit in the busi¬ 
ness we must grow the varieties which are to be the 
most popular. 
PEELING THE BULBLETS 
To secure the highest germination, bulblets should 
be peeled. By peeling, we do not mean that it is neces¬ 
sary to remove all of the outside covering. That is 
perhaps how the term originated. But by peeling, we 
mean any cracking, tearing or removal of any part of 
the shell so that air and moisture can get in. 
