and 14 sandy loam or nearly pure sand. Half and half will do. Leaf mould may be 
used instead of peat. Light watering but frequent. They must not become dry nor 
soggy. 
Billbergias make nice pot plants with attractive foliage. Water sparingly in winter 
unless flowering. B. nutans has a lovely flower in Feb. 
The following can be moved or potted at any time: Amarcrinum Howardii, 
Sprekelia formosissima superba, Tulbaghia violaceae, Clivia, Cymbidium. 
Haemanthus Katherinae, one of nature’s masterpieces, is a gorgeous pot plant. 
This bulb is almost evergreen and has only a very short season for moving and 
repotting, usually late Jan. to Feb. but not always same date. Use regular potting soil 
with peat added and a 12” to 15” pot. (This bulb will be listed in Spring Catalog.) 
I have mentioned only the most outstanding bulbs for potting here. Dutch Iris, 
Allium triquetrum, Brodiaea uniflora and many other bulbs listed in this catalog are 
also desirable for potting. For that matter one can grow about anything in a pot of 
appropriate size. 
Potting Directions 
The pot for a 24%” Amaryllis bulb should be about 7” diam. This is about right 
for most bulbs of that size. Give larger or smaller bulbs, pots proportionate in size. 
Small bulbs like Freesias, Babianas, Tritonias, Sparaxis, etc., if about 4” diam. may be 
planted 2” apart in pots up to 6” diam. Large sizes of these that are near 1” diam. 
ought to be 3” apart. | 
It is most important that drainage be perfect and the soil of a friable texture that 
allows water to drain perfectly. Cover the hole in the bottom of pot with reversed 
bits of broken pots and on top of that small pebbles, then coarse sand will help. An 
imperfectly drained soil often causes bulbs to rot before starting and if they start they 
do not grow and flower well. Yellow tipped leaves often indicate poor drainage. The 
pots should be cleaned and scalded. | 
The proper soil is a rich sandy loam with the addition of thoroly rotted leaf 
mould. Add peat or oak-leaf mould for acid loving plants. Use no fresh manure or 
other fertilizer at planting. Be very discreet even in using very old rotted manure. 
Rotted dairy manure is rather safe. A heaping tablespoonful of bone meal is good. 
Thoroly mix all ingredients. 
Most small bulbs should be planted just under soil surface. 
An Amaryllis and most large bulbs may have % of bulb above surface. When 
placed, the soil may be settled by a thoro watering, once. After that no more water 
is usually needed until after growth begins, altho the soil should not become quite dry 
at base of bulb. A wet condition very long often rots a dormant bulb before they start, 
or later. The soil surface may appear dry and yet be too wet for starting bulbs at 
center of pot. . 
Most bulbs should have a cool room, about 60°, and some of them less, while 
rooting. When a bud or foliage gives evidence that growth has started, bring the pot 
to living room temperature of about 70° and water slightly. It is not time to water 
them freely yet. Do that only when flowering or in full growth. Do not overwater at 
any time. Sufficient time between waterings must be given to allow water to drain 
away, evaporate or be absorbed by roots so that air penetrates and bathes the entire 
root system. This is very necessary to plants and the roots need not be actually dry to 
permit it. They must not be water logged nor should they become dry. When in full 
growth and bloom, feed the bulbs about every 2 or 3 weeks with very weak liquid 
manure. It should be only amber tinted, the color of weak tea. Do not give liquid 
manure to a plant that is in nearly dry soil. Neither plants nor animals should be fed 
when thirsty. Proper feeding will result in luxuriant growth. Too much yellows the 
leaves, because the root hairs are burned off. 
It is very important to continue watering and feeding after bulbs are thru 
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