OREGON BULB FARMS 
GRESHAM, OREGON 
Care and Storage of Bulbs 
Although we do all we possibly can to insure 
that our lilies arrive at your warehouse as fresh as 
they were when they were dug, it is even more im- 
portant that they receive proper handling through 
the bulb selling season. In some regions this season 
extends from October through January. Most va- 
rieties are easily held in ordinary, cool storage 
without loss of vigor. This does not mean, however, 
that full cases can be displayed in a warm store, 
where the customers are permitted to pick out their 
own bulbs—or to examine several to find the ones 
they wish to purchase. Not only do such exposed 
bulbs become easily dried out, but roots are de- 
stroyed and scales break off. Even though you may 
feel that your customers prefer to see displayed 
bulbs in the store, we suggest that only a very tew 
be exposed and that the balance of the case be stored 
in a cool (45°-55° Fahrenheit) room. The packing 
material should never be allowed to dry out and, 
if this occurs, the bulbs should be repacked in moist 
peat-moss, sphagnum, sawdust or even clean sand. 
Bulbs held under these conditions should remain 
plump and fresh until they begin to sprout late 
in the winter. Surplus bulbs that remain late in the 
winter may be potted in clay pots or gallon cans. 
They will then form roots and some varieties will 
begin to sprout almost immediately. Several deal- 
ers have used this method of saving surplus bulbs 
and holding them until the spring at which time 
they can sell them to good advantage. 
Handling and care of the lily bulbs in storage 
does not end the responsibility of the dealer. After 
bulbs are purchased across your counter or through 
the mail by your customers, they still must be ade- 
quately packed to prevent drying out and crushing. 
Even though the bulbs are bought in a period of 
“sardening enthusiasm,” they quite often do not 
find their way into the ground for some time. While 
this is not the fault of the retailer, certainly he is 
always the man who is blamed if poor performance 
or even failure of the lilies is the result. It is, there- 
fore, only logical to protect yourself and your cus- 
tomer by packaging the bulbs well at the time they 
are sold. 
In brief, lily bulbs are best considered and han- 
dled in a manner that you would employ for living 
plants. They are not handled in the same manner 
as the so-called dry bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, 
hyacinths, etc. The dealer must never lose an op- 
portunity to impress this upon his customers. We 
foresee a future for the American-grown lily when 
in volume and popularity it will be in a position 
comparable to tulips, daffodils, gladioli and dahlias. 
True species will gradually disappear from the lists. 
and more vigorous, reliable hybrids will replace 
them. Even today we are in a position, if we so 
desire, to introduce twenty named varieties a year 
for the next five years. This means that, as the 
number of varieties continues to increase and as 
these varieties receive publicity, your customers will 
expect you to handle them. This future can never 
materialize if the customer does not receive bulbs 
which are fresh, plump and alive. They must remain 
in that condition by dint of proper handling by the 
grower and the retailer until they are planted. 
Spring or Fall Delivery 
We are not, as yet, prepared to hold any large 
quantities of lilies for spring delivery. Wherever 
possible, fall planting is to be recommended. We 
harvest our stocks early enough to enable us to get 
them into your hands while the fall bulb sales are 
still at their height. Even though this means some 
loss of size, we feel that from the standpoint of 
performance for your customers, it is much pref- 
erable to spring delivery. We are willing to make 
every effort on our part to complete all deliveries 
early in October and, with few exceptions, this 
delivery date will allow you several weeks of fall 
planting weather in your particular locality. Even 
though light frosts have already occurred, bulbs 
planted in the fall will immediately make a fall 
root growth, which does much to insure a natural 
growth and flowering the following season. No mat- 
ter how they are handled, bulbs held until spring 
are of inferior quality. They have been denied the 
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opportunity to make the necessary fall root growth 
and, very often when planted in the spring, will 
immediately make top growth and flower without 
making new, permanent roots. 
Spring sales of lily bulbs became a general prac- 
tice when imported bulbs began to arrive in this 
country in January with the result that there was 
no choice as to planting time. Now that we are able 
to deliver American-grown, healthier lilies in Oc- 
tober, we strongly advise you to make every effort 
to dispose of the lilies in the fall. This means pass- 
ing on this information to your customers who have 
been in the habit of planting lilies in the spring. 
A few varieties, such as our Mid-Century hybrids, 
keep especially well in storage and, should the trade 
demand spring delivery in any appreciable quan- 
tity, we shall arrange to make this service available 
to our customers. For the present we feel that good 
performance is more important than some addi- 
tional sales. 
