27 
THE BEDS 
The size and arrangement of the beds depends on 
the value of the stock to be grown; also whether they 
are to contain bulbs or bulblets. 
For the highest priced bulblets we prefer beds seven 
feet wide and 30 to 40 feet long. These beds may 
be placed side by side, with paths about 15 inches in 
width between them. The rows are a foot apart and 
seven feet long and run crosswise of the beds. The 
rows and paths should be laid out in absolutely straight 
lines. 
The reason I prefer rows seven feet long is that 
I can weed and cultivate this length of row without 
stepping on the bed, the work all being done from the 
path. Thus it is easy to keep the soil loose. This length 
of row also easily fits the portable 8x10 tent which I 
sometimes use in both digging and planting if the 
weather is bad. 
With the little wire weeder rake, described under 
Tools, I can stand in the path and reach to the path on 
the opposite side of the bed, and with one sweep of the 
wire weeder, bring it clear across the bed and take out 
all the weeds between rows. This does a fine job of cul¬ 
tivating as well as weeding. With it I can go over a se¬ 
ries of 20 such beds in from one to two hours. Merely 
an after-supper job. 
The bulblets are planted from one to two inches 
apart in the row, depending on the value and vigor of 
the variety, and should give us the first season many 
first and extra size bulbs and a large number of 
bulblets. 
