THE BLUE BOOK OF BULBS 
When the flowers have fallen, the seed-pods should be broken 
off,—the whole flower-stalk being cut away in the case of the 
Hyacinth,—and the foliage should be allowed to remain until it 
has quite ripened. Whether the bulbs are to be lifted each season 
is a point to be decided on the basis of the requirements of the 
place where they are grown, and the results obtained from prev¬ 
ious experience. In formal beds, if it is necessary to remove the 
bulbs as early as possible in order to replant the beds with sum¬ 
mer-blooming plants, retain as much soil as may adhere to the 
roots, and replant in shallow trenches where the bulbs may 
mature their foliage. In the hardy border the bulbs may be left 
for a time, if they appear to have found conditions to their liking. 
It may be laid down as a general rule that all Tulips are better off 
if lifted annually, though the late sorts do fairly well the second 
year when undisturbed. Daffodils need replanting most often at 
the end of the second season; the white Trumpet kinds do better 
if lifted annually. When the flower-stalk of the Tulip can be 
twisted about the finger without breaking, the bulbs can be safely 
lifted, while Daffodils should be left until the leaves have turned 
yellow three-quarters of the distance from tip to base. As several 
kinds make new roots very soon after maturing, it is unsafe to 
wait too long before lifting. After lifting, the bulbs should be 
roughly cleaned and stored in a cool, dry place not exposed to 
the sun. It is better to divide Daffodils just before planting, 
because there is danger of injuring the root base if the bulbs are 
separated immediately after lifting. 
For Pot Culture, early potting is imperative. It is quite 
impossible to obtain flowers until abundant root-growth is estab¬ 
lished, and to secure sufficient roots will generally take from 
eight to ten weeks. If the pots are wanted in succession through¬ 
out the winter, potting should be done at intervals of two or 
three weeks, but all of it should be over by the middle of Novem¬ 
ber. Crocuses need to be potted early, but should not be brought 
into heat before January. The bulbs should be set at such a depth 
that the tops protrude slightly when the potting is done. The 
bulbs must never be pressed down into the soil, for the roots will 
lift the bulbs quite out of the pots if the earth beneath is packed 
hard. A suitable soil for potting should consist of two parts of 
fibrous loam, two parts of leaf-mold, one part sharp sand, and one 
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