Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-10-23
Bulbs in House Culture.

Every autumn many persons pot num-
Der of bulbs in the hope of enjoying their
bright and fragrant flowers in mid inter,
and large proportion of these persons
are disappointed. After all their expense
and pains they get only a few poor unsat-
isfactory flowers, if perchance they have
any at all. In potting bulbs as in other
matters, there is a right and a wrong
way, and those who are inexperienced
generally choose the wrong. 1t is some
times useful to tell how not to do it.
Pick out, we will say, a hyacinth bulb
that has green point, which shows
the bulb is alive. Plant this in a
pot and set it in sunny window.
The leaves will soon begin to unfold;
when they are only two inches or
so high you Will see the flower buds.
After while the buds will begin to show
color, and you wonder why the flower
stem does not shoot up, as you have seen
it, nearly foot in length. The flower
stem refuses to bulge, more or less flow
ers open languidly, and without making
any satisfactory show soon begin to fade,
and this is the end of the bulb. Disap-
pointed you set to work to find out the
cause of failure and turning the bulb out
of the pot you find that it has made
scarcely any roots, and that the little show
of leaf and flower that appeared was en-
tirely from the nutriment contained in the
bulb itself. Having no roots, or so few as
to be of little use, the bulb could not even
take up the water necessary for growth.
The way to do it is just the opposite to
this Select good, sound bulbs, the
heaviest always the best, without regard
to any green point. If the bulb is sound
and firm on the top it is all right, Plant
the bulbs as soon this month as they can
be had, and put them away in a dark
place for at least six weeks, where the
temperature will be uniform. A good
way is to set the pots in some sheltered
place and cover them six inches to foot
deep with coal-ashes. 1t is we'll befora
covering to invert a small thumb pOV
directly over the bulb, in ORDER that the
young growth, should it start, may not be
injured in removing the ashes. At the
eud Of six weeks if you examine the pots
the top will be found to have made but little
if any growth, but if you turn out the
ball of earth it will be found filled with
roots. You now have a rooted bulb which
can be forced at pleasure Give it warm
place, plenty Of sun and water as needed,
and foliage and fover-stalk will push
Will astonishing NlgOl, eiliu q Lilo u uSS vi
flowers will reward you for the pains.
What is here recommended for the
hyacinth is equally rue for the narcis-
sus, tulip, or any ether bulbs that are
planted in the fall. First get the bulb
well rooted before exciting any growth
above ground, which is accomplished by
keeping the plant at moderate tempera-
ture and in perfect darkness. Placing the
pots in a perfectly dark cellar will answer.
In whatever manner hey are kept while
roofing it is best to bring them out few
at a time at intervals of a week or more,
in order to have succession of bloom.
Good garden soil or hat from a pasture
is all that is needed, and if stiff and close
mix in enough sane to make it open.
When the plants are growing we'll weak
manure water or solution of guano ian
ounce to the gallon) may be given once Or
twice week, which will not only add to
the vigor of the plants but improve the
color of the flowers.
Pots made very narrow in proportion to
their height are made especially for hya-
cinths, etc, and have an ornamental outer
pot in which to place the other when
brought into the house. These are very
pretty, but not at all necessary, as good