NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 
7 
spike tips at one end and the tip of the next one the opposite way, the stems 
going along side of the first flower spike. After the first layer (we pack 
about twenty-five spikes to a layer, fifty to a box) is all in place, we sprinkle 
and cover with wax paper or one thickness of newspaper then put in the 
table and repeat the same on that layer. Be sure they are packed tight as 
if so they will ship much better than when loose. At the show take them 
out in the reverse order and cut the stems and put in water until you are 
ready to set them up. 
Now the fun is over and the work of digging, curing and cleaning is at 
hand. Dig the bulbs about four to six weeks after blooming or as soon as 
they show signs of turning brown a bit. Cut the tops off close to the bulb 
and spread out in low boxes to dry, preferably where the air can move around 
them. It will depend on the size of the bulbs and the drying conditions 
how soon they will be ready to clean; the old bulb should come off easily 
and be sure to destroy all the old bottoms, etc. Now store in a cool dry 
place. If you use naphthalene flakes, I would suggest that you put half a 
handful on pieces of paper or small pie plates in the boxes, cover the boxes 
with paper or, if you can put them in one big pile, cover it all with a tight 
cover of some kind such as a canvas cover or several thicknesses of news¬ 
paper and leave for a couple of weeks; uncover, take out the naphthalene 
flakes, and store for the winter. Putting the naphthalene on paper will save 
taking all the bulbs out to get the naphthalene flakes away from the bulbs 
for I do not like to leave them among the bulbs all winter. Now the bulbs 
should be in good shape until planting time. 
Box for Shipping Blooms to the Shows 
This is the type of box we have used to ship blooms to the shows for 
several years. It is made of white pine or any light wood. Inside measure¬ 
ments, 48" long, 15" wide, 9" high. Stock is H'" thick except ends which 
are the cover has three cleats on the top and three 2%" butt hinges. 
The front of the cover is held down in front by a couple of wire nails and 
then a wire or rope put around the box to be sure the cover is not pushed 
up in transit. The table to hold the second layer is made of laths nailed on 
a 1" x 1" frame; let them be long enough so the table can not move side¬ 
ways or endways and use short pieces of lath for the legs. Let the legs be 
long enough so the table comes up half way (4% ') of the box thus dividing 
the inside space equally. When you put the table in be sure no blooms are 
under the legs. 
