Culture of Bulbs for the Home Garden 
Minor Spring-flowering Bulbs are planted in mid-September or 
early October, as soon as obtainable. For planting depths see 
chart on page 27. 
Iris, Bulbous (Dutch and Spanish). Plant as early as possible, during 
September if obtainable, four inches deep and five to six inches 
apart. 
After the first hard freeze, mulch with evergreen boughs or 
salt hay. 
Lilies. Most lilies prefer an acid soil. Peat moss well mixed with 
the earth will help to produce an acid condition but should not 
come in contact with the bulbs as it holds moisture and might 
cause rot. A good mixture for lily planting is made up of one 
part garden loam, one part peat moss, one part sand and commercial 
cow manure mixed, and a sprinkle of coarse bone. Dig out the 
garden loam to a depth of one to two feet, fork coal ashes into 
the subsoil, mix the soil as above, and replace. You thus insure 
perfect drainage, a good soil mixture and correct fertilizer. 
In planting the bulb, lay on a bed of sand on its side or at a 
sharp angle to prevent moisture from collecting in the scales. Sur¬ 
round the set bulb with sand also to further guard against rotting. 
Most lilies should be planted before October 15th or as soon as 
available from the dealer. Leave in the ground as long as they do 
well. 
Both winter and summer mulching of lilies is recommended by 
the best authorities. 
In summer a two-inch mulch of peat moss, coarse leaves or 
chopped straw will keep the burning rays of the hot sun from the 
ground about the lily roots and will also conserve moisture. In 
border plantings where a mulch is not practicable, shallow-rooted 
ground covers may be planted near the lilies to protect the ground 
about their roots from the direct rays of the mid-summer sun. 
Just before or just after the first hard freeze, it is well to place 
a winter mulch over the lilies. This is especially needful in cli¬ 
mates where there is alternate freezing and thawing of the ground. 
In northern localities where snow blankets the earth all winter, 
the bulbs are less subject to frost injury. For winter mulching use 
corn stalks, evergreen boughs, strawy manure or six inches of 
salt hay. Remove the winter mulch at the time the first lily shoots 
appear. 
During the growing season water should be given during dry 
spells, watering to a depth of at least six inches once a week. 
Chart II. FOR THE PLANTING OF LILIES. 
1. . 1. . 3. . 
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n. 3. 
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15-. 
13. 
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10. 11 
RE & ALE AURATUM 
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PLANTING DATA GREATLY SIMPLIFIED 
The above chart on the planting of lilies and the one on page 27 on the planting of miscellaneous 
bulbs were especially prepared for this catalog. This use of two charts for showing the depths of planting 
for lilies and other bulbs separately is certainly a big improvement over the usual form of crowding this 
planting data into one small cut. These charts are well worth careful study. 
CARRYING CHARGES PREPAID EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI 
Page 29 
