HOUSE AND GARDEN 
148 
The Biggest Outdoor Story of the Year 
"Conquering Mt. McKinley” is the title—Belmore Browne is the author. 
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February, 1913 
the crocus gains nothing by being left out 
of the ground to waste its vitality. We 
often plant in a “seed pan” because we 
like the effect of a dozen or more plants 
blooming together. A flower pot suf¬ 
ficiently broad would be unnecessarily 
deep and heavy. The three or four inch 
depth provided by the “seed pan” is all 
sufficient for the slight growing crocus. 
After potting, the soil should be moist¬ 
ened and set away in a dark, cool place of 
from forty to fifty degrees for about two 
months, until there is a vigorous root 
growth. There is more danger in bring¬ 
ing them into the light too soon than in 
leaving them in the dark too long, for the 
flowers depend on the strength of the root 
growth. However, if the leaves insist on 
growing in defiance of the darkness and 
coolness, they may as well be brought to 
the light, or they will acquire a spindling 
shape that cannot be corrected later. This 
state of things should be prevented by hav¬ 
ing their storage place as dark as possible, 
but this brings us to some of the small 
failings of this particular plant. 
Our crocus, so attractive when once 
grown, has had a narrow escape from be¬ 
ing destroyed by mold. A degree of 
dampness that did no harm to the narcis¬ 
sus, was almost too much for it. Wetting 
only when it seems to be becoming too 
dry for any growth is the safest remedy 
for this. The crocus is also attractive to 
mice, and to guard against them a mouse- 
proof box should be built with ventilation 
provided for by several holes in each end, 
the holes themselves being covered with 
window screen netting. Crocus plants 
have a fascination for the green aphis, 
which must be fought from the start be¬ 
fore it increases to great numbers. To¬ 
bacco in the form of smoke, dust or tea 
will check the pest if used in time. 
Naturally the best flowers must not be 
expected from corms that are imperfect 
or bruised; these invite decay and con¬ 
taminate the healthy bulbs. The crocus is 
one of the plants that require slow forcing, 
which brings them into flower in mid¬ 
winter when their bright colors are most 
appreciated. In rearing them some points 
are to be kept in mind that are common to 
all bulbs: water well when coming into 
flower; supply with fresh air, but without 
draught; keep free from dust. Hot, dry 
air, such as would be found in a fire- 
heated room will not agree with them. 
The conditions under which we have 
grown them seem to suit them excellently 
—a light and very sunny room, where the 
temperature stands in the sixties in the 
daytime and lower at night. 
The crocus that has bloomed in the 
house may be dried off gradually in a light 
cellar until the foliage is entirely dead and 
then planted outdoors in early September. 
The lawn is a good place. Lift a sod, set 
out the corms, replace the sod and in the 
spring the leaves will force their way 
through and the foliage die away before it 
can be injured by mowing the lawn. 
Crocuses planted in the garden will give 
(Continued on page 150 ) 
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