reports a depth of 4” with mulch is safe. Let 6” and in sandy soil be the limit, preferably 
less. Why not mound them over with soil and mulch to be removed in spring? 
In Pots. A bulb 3” or less in diam. needs a 7” pot, and larger bulbs need larger 
pots. It is better to pot in Nov. or Dec. Better blooms result. But one can pot them as 
late as March and it is better late than never. The early potted bulbs will start more 
easily and give better flowers, but in either case the flowers will be better and will show 
more fully their full quality the second year. 
The best potting soil is a rich sandy loam. If not sandy use a friable loam and add 
sand. To this add an equal quantity of well screened and well rotted dairy manure and 
leaf mould. Use no fresh or partially decayed manure and no peat or sphagnum. One 
tablespoonful of bone meal to each pot is recommended. Mix all ingredients thoroly. 
In potting the bulbs, carefully preserve any living roots, even remnants. Clean but 
do not scrape the base of the bulb and dust the moistened surface of base and the roots 
with Rootone. If there are no roots, coat base of bulb with Rootone, which will hasten 
their formation. 
Pot the bulb two-thirds above surface and water well. After this keep the soil only 
slightly moist until growth starts, then gradually increase. When first potted set them 
in a cool, light room but not in sunlight. The best temperature now is not over 50°. 
The bulbs must have sufficient time to form a good root system under these conditions. 
If placed in a warm room and exposed to the sun, top growth will be made before roots, 
and the results are poor flowers or none. 
When you are sure that roots have formed, but not before, water the plants as 
directed with Vit. B-1. But be sure to leave the bulbs a sufficient length of time in a 
cool room. They need this period of dormancy and sufficient time to make a good root 
system. Many fail because they try to force the bulbs before they have rested and have 
made good roots. If you get a poor flower it may be because the bulb had no roots and 
had only the sustenance stored in the bulb from which to make flowers. Lack of a 
good root system to nourish the flower will affect the quality of the flower in every 
way—size, substance and even color. So, don’t remove pots from the cool room too 
soon. Wait until they demand it by top growth. Then bring the pots by easy stage to a 
temperature of 50°, 60°, then about 65°. Day time temp. should never be much over 
70° for best blooming. 
After flowering the bulb has shrunk and a long period of growth is necessary. 
If good growth is made at this important stage, the bulb will become much larger and 
offsets may be made. Keep them growing as long as possible. When the weather is 
warm outside the pots may be plunged in the garden. If rim of pot is sufficiently below 
soil surface the roots may emerge and add range to the root system. Or better still, shift 
the bulb and the unbroken lump of soil to the garden. Water liberally during growth 
and when in good growth use manure water or mulch with manure. This is good advice 
for pot grown bulbs as well, but don’t give heavy feeding to a sick or starved bulb. 
Plants, animals and people must have enough vigor to digest and assimilate food. If 
they do not have this, it becomes a poison. 
Keep the bulbs growing as long as they will grow. When the foliage begins to 
yellow, about Nov. usually, one may reduce water, and give them a rest. Store pots in 
a cool room as for starting. 
Usually the summer’s growth will have increased the size of the bulbs sufficiently 
to require shifting to a larger pot. The new pot should be large enough to accommodate 
all the roots. Do not remove or injure any of the roots and contrive to distribute them 
thruout the soil. 
When repotted, water at once to settle soil around the roots. Thereafter they should 
receive very little water, only enough to prevent drying out and loss of roots. They 
should remain in a cool room. They need a period of rest, altho leaves do not always 
die back. When growth begins, start again the natural spring time change to higher 
temperatures, repeating the procedure followed when you planted the dry bulbs. But 
your bulbs are now much better bulbs. They are not dried out and they have or should 
have many roots. If kept too wet or too warm while dormant, the roots may rot. But 
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