39 
actual planting can be delayed the less weeds we will 
have to contend with. And the moment the bulblets 
have been placed in the sprouting cabinet they have in 
reality been planted as far as earliness is concerned. 
The medium priced and cheaper varieties can be 
planted when the intervals of good weather come, as it 
is not so important as to how many of them have 
sprouted. We use more care with the higher priced 
ones. 
As it is desirable that each variety be planted in 
its own bed and that if there are several rows of one 
kind, that the rows be grouped together, rather than 
scattered here and there, it is well to have sufficient 
beds prepared early so that this can be done. W e aim 
to keep several of the little planting trenches, about 
half an inch deep, prepared in advance, so that it a rain 
comes they will be ready without having to stir the v et 
soil. We use a board between rows to stand on when 
planting. If there are only a small quantity of bulblets 
of a kind sprouted, they may be planted in these drills 
between showers and a small quantity of dirt brought 
from a place where it has been kept dry and spread over 
them for a depth of about half an inch. As sand can 
be handled any time, wet or dry, it can be spread over 
the beds from a quarter to half an inch deep after they 
are planted. 
If we have quite a number of bulblets to plant and 
it is raining, we use a tent. The tent is 8x10 feet and 
stretched on a portable frame. It is hand\ to ha\e moie 
than one tent. The tent is placed lengthwise over the 
bed before the rain and the soil is thus kept dm. Oi 
if the little trenches have been previously prepared, the 
tent may be taken from one bed to another and the 
