41 
October, 1916 
FALL PLANTED 
BULBS — A BRIEF SYNOPSIS 
When planting lily bulbs in poor soil, the 
hole should be filled with humus or leaf 
mold to provide richness 
Uniform depth of planting in a formal bed 
is assured by using a piece of spade handle 
cut to form a dibble 
A naturalized planting of bulbs is just what its name implies—abso¬ 
lute informality. The grass can be cut after the bulbs have flowered 
in the spring 
For forcing in the green¬ 
house at a temperature of 
from 50° to 70°, bulbs are 
indispensable, and there is 
a large range of types and 
colors from which to 
choose. As most of them 
are kept outdoors until ac¬ 
tual forcing starts, they 
occupy but a small propor¬ 
tionate amount of bench 
space in the greenhouse. The blooms are 
acceptable both as pot subjects for decora¬ 
tive work and for cutting; they are splendid 
keepers and will last for a week or two. 
The hardy type of forcing bulb is planted 
in boxes or pots in the fall and then buried 
outdoors. The best method is to bury them 
in a deep trench out in the open, thus allow¬ 
ing the plants to make good roots through 
the resultant even soil condition. Wher¬ 
ever the bulbs are placed for storage, they 
can be covered with manure or litter to pre¬ 
vent the soil freezing. Frost will not in¬ 
jure bulbs, but it is difficult to get them 
out for forcing if the ground is frozen. 
As bulbous plants of all kinds are water 
lovers, it is advisable to water them before 
they are buried. If stored in a pit or cold 
frames, they must be watered frequently, 
especially after root action has started; if 
buried outdoors, however, they will require 
no further attention until they are rooted 
well enough to start forcing, which takes 
from six to ten weeks according to the 
variety. They can then be brought into the 
greenhouse and forced in any quantity de¬ 
sired for bloom there or in the house. 
Good bulbs of the hardy forcing type are 
Soil and Temperature 
Generally speaking, 
bulbs require a rich yet 
well drained soil from a 
compost heap that has 
been properly prepared; 
or lacking this, a mixture 
of three-fourths chopped 
sod to one-fourth well 
rotted manure, with a 
shovelful of sand and one 
of bone meal added to every twelve of this 
mixture. By the time the flower shows, the 
bulbs will have pretty well exhausted the 
soil, and liquid feeding with manure water 
can be resorted to with good results. 
The hardy forcing type will be found at 
home in a night temperature of 50°, and 
they can be forced 5° either side of that. 
Lilies require about 60° and freesias can be 
forced at either 50° or 60°, but 55° will 
be the best all-around temperature. It is 
best to start the plants early enough so that 
they can be brought along slowly, for rapid 
growing means weak stems, insects and dis- 
Forcing Bulbs 
A S the country road is to the 
walker, so is the bulb to the true 
lover of flowers. At once a promise 
and a guarantee of beauty to come, 
the homely brown sheathing of the 
bulb belies its looks. Yet as surely 
as the dusty lane leads to alluring 
nooks and vistas, so surely will there 
spring from the bulb’s dry shell a 
flower of rare beauty. Seeds may 
come and seeds may go, but the bulb 
is certain, a trusted standby in the 
midst of our garden feats and failures. 
To be sure, there are 
good bulbs and poor, the 
former, of course, costing 
more than the inferior 
grades. Yet, it is poor 
economy to invest in a lot 
of cheap bulbs under the 
impression that they are 
just as good; better buy the 
best and reconcile your 
conscience by the thought 
that something worth while 
never comes for nothing. 
Tulips, narcissi, hyacinths or any other of the 
hardy bulbs may well be placed in a border 
planting such as this 
the hyacinths, all sorts; all kinds of 
tulips ; all the narcissi; crocus ; allium 
and ornithogalum. Other types are 
planted in boxes, pans or pots, but in¬ 
stead of burying outdoors, they are 
placed in a frame and covered with a 
few inches of ashes or soil to keep as 
even a condition as possible. These 
last types, which include all the forc¬ 
ing lilies, anemones, calochortus, 
freesia, gladioli, forcing iris and oxalis 
should be brought into the greenhouse 
when growth shows above the covering. 
Two exceptions to the 
above rules are spirea and 
lily - of - the - valley. The 
former is usually potted 
up and stood outdoors to 
freeze, while the latter 
should be planted in sand 
when received and placed 
outdoors until it is well 
frozen. Then it can be 
forced in cold storage val¬ 
ley pipes ; if these are used 
the bulbs can be forced at 
once and successfully. 
