Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-10-04
agricultural.
Hardy Bulbs.


The objection with some To its cultivation t-
the price 0f the bulbs, averaging 80 cenfs
each This Is not an exOrbidant price, how
ever. All Eyacinths are imported from H1--
land year BIZ year. There they grow in Il,
soil they love, and never degenerate
In this country, even on our riches
SOILS, they 90 steadily down hill and Iu
IL a few years are mTaratIycly worthless
You viii have magnificent spike OF flowers
the fret 81 ear. tolerahle one the second. anu
POOR enc the third. The buIns Will increas,
and a. pear perfectly healthy; but it il n,
use. the flowers they produce are never as per
feet as IN their native land. 50, from thi-
fact alone. I would advise cultivating them
in pots during the winter, buying new bull
evtIv al. tor, after such premature hJweI-
ing, they become exhausted, and are rarely
worth saving. Perhaps if you begin wit,
six good, sound bulbs this fail. 1t will be sui
ticient. Then, il you should meet with
failure. your loss Will not he great VOC
can grow a hyacinth bulb in teacup. and
three or four in a common flower pot
prefer growing them singlv, substituting
g thumb : ct 80 Tor the teacup. IL convenient
Cover onc-half Of the bulb with soil press
ins It down firmly until nearly covered
Water thoroughly, and place IN a cool, dark
&C lar. II taken Immediately into a light.
warm room, they viii eprout directly, anc
end there, simply because they have 10
roots to keep the SprOut going. But putting
them 10 that cool, dark cellar encourage
the growth of the roots simply because there
il not warmth enough To start the top. They
should remain there five or SIX weeks. !
you want flowers during tie holidays, pot
your bulbs about the middle Of November
You can then take them ont, one by one, a.
you wish them. In this manner You can
have flowers during the whole u inter. W len
YOU bring q en- from their hid place into
the light, You must be arciul To avoid too
much warmth. Keep in q cool r0om-at
any point above trcezing-near the light
bringing them into the living room wheI
needed. but always returning them at night.
II you fail % DO this your flowers VIII nul
last Aalt Us long. Those WHO live IN colo
houses can keep their hyacinths in the liviny
room by exercising a Attle caution. There
is yet another way Of growing this flower
that s. in water Use we'll water. as thai
viii remain pure longer than soft. The bI>,
OF the bulb should lie suspended Just above
tie fluid, hut not touching It. Set away II
a cool place, until well rooted. sprinkle
frequently with SOFT water. In removing t.
the room, beware % too much warmth
Half the failures are attributed to thi5 caust.
II the water becomes di=c0loTcd, change il
Ii the flower begins 70 drJOp, sprinkle thor
OuLIlN- anu remove TOD = tJtflEE If'tft- mex
in Ord-r comes the cultivation OF hyacnth-
in the garden Never plant the high priceC
buIb-. no matter how plenty your none,
may be. Buy the mixed varieties, At Sl.5t
per dozen. They will bloom better AN,
longer, and prove more salts actory in every
way. The high-prIced bulbs are for pot-
rather than tire fDwer-Dcds If you are g0-
inE 10 have flowers on your lawn next sum
mer. you can PUT them there, in some prom
nent place, or in your rden. The soil mus
be well drained. Sanding water around
bulb will surely kill it. The soil should be
a foot deep, at least, and made rich and I'D. J.
low Plant the bulbs any time from the ljtt
Of SEPT. ID the Ist OF Dec. October il re
ally the best month. St them five inches
apart and three inches deep. Cover, wheT
winter sets in. with leaves or C arse manure.
Be sure and rake this litter off early IN the
spring, before the bulbs begin to e break
ground. You may cut the flower Of =
hyaciuth without injury to the bulb but
De careful not to mutIlate the leaves, "a j.
Will have an Injurious effect If you need
the beds To set young plants IN, along IL
May, you can take up ths bulbs about two
weeks after blooming, AMI putin dry place
covering them WITH earth, where they car
remain until the tops are perfectly dry; then
take up once more and pack away in paper
bags such a. you find at the groceries, until
vented again in the fall. II the bed Is not
needed, they should remain four or five
weeks alter the blossoms are dead. before re
moval Bulbs are likely 70 succeed best j
removed from the bed every spring and plant
ed out again the following autumn. In It
Letting varieties | would purchase low grow
IN sorts. They are much hand-omer II
habit and fully BEAUTIFUL, We have eve
~ convenience now, az regards getting bulue
Il ftv-
and III a week or so a box of bulbs, each va
RE Y % d separate parcel, labelled plainly
packed carefully in buckwheat chat, aDc
postage pail Truly, no one need name
- trouble 60 as the one thing in the way Of Z
few bulbs this fall
The Crocus-This Is one of the earlies
of cur spring flowers IL does not mind
little rrust and viii appear above ground the
first OF March and BE- IN full bloom the first
of April 1t Is the only early blooming
flower that Possesses real beauty. The buih,
should be planted in October, if possible
St them three inches apart no mOre-anC
cover them with just two inches Of soil. Be
fore freezing weather comes on spread straw
leaves OF coarse manure over the bed.
this il not done they are liable to be thrown
out by the trust | lost every bulb had
one year, from neglect Of this caution.
would plant them IN small beds, il COnven
lent, as they may appear better So than II
larger ones The bulbs are quite cheap
twenty-five cents per dozen. The named va
rieties are double the price; but tie un
named are just as good for all practica
purposes. The crocus Is very good for flower
ing in the house. You can put several in d
small pot, allowing the bulbs 70 almost toucl
each other. Treat in the way recommended
for hyacinths.
TIE Sn0lg- Drop Is decidedly insignificant
when compared with blossoms of latter an
pearance; but as it is the very first hJwe
OF spring it must be put upon our list fol
fall planting. As they are not suitable for
show 1t is best to put them close by the
house, in some sheltered place where the
sun can have effect. hey VIII then bloom
the first of March. Set the bulbs two inch
Is apart, and the same 10 depth. The snow
drop Is also good for pot culture in the house
during the winter. Being hardy and robust
1t will stand much inequality OF tenn perature.
and r. rely fail TO bloom.
Cr0icn ImpsTidl-One good bulb of the va
riety is enough. The stem grows three o.
more feet high crowned with a wreath OF
bell-shaped flowers. Ii answers well for the
center of bed of tulips or hyacinths Sci
the bulbs one foot apart and five inches deep.
The LlIy.-This is probably the most ar
istocratic lower in the world. Nature ha4
indeed b, en- partial to the lily in more sense
than one. Not only does it excel all other
flowers in magnihcence, bat it seems totally
obvious Of either too much wet, or too much