The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-02-07
BULB-GRoWING IN HOLLAND.

Dutch Methods With Hyacinths, Tu-
lips, Etc, on the Bulb Farms Of
HARLEM.
HARLEM is the largest city of north
Holland. and the trade center Of the
b-growing district. If we proceed
by steam train from HARLEM by way
of Vogelenzang we pass through ex-
tensive bulb fields toward the Lake of
HARLEM. There Isl, however, no
Lake of Harriet now; only great ca
nal surrounded by seventy square miles
of lowland that fifty years ago was
lake. Here on the western side of the
canal we find the finest hyacinth
ground in Holland. The soil is of vari-
Gus kinds-peat, clay and sand, the last
being what is chosen for hyacinth cul-
ture. 1t is prepared by giving it a
heavy application of cow manure,
which is brought to the fields in boats
from Leyden, Amsterdam or Rotter-
dam.
Hyacinths, narcissuses and tulips are
set in trenches six inches deep; crocus-
es. scillas and snowdrops in trenches
three inches deep. Before the cold sets
in all the planted fields are thickly COW
cred with reeds, which grow along the
edges Of the canals, and are cultivated
in the north of Holland for this pur-
pose. Great care is taken to prevent
frost from reaching the bulbs, for as
they are planted early in autumn they
soon make long roots, and frost reach
ing the bulbs would raise them up and
detach them from their roots. Spring
Towering Dubious plants are rapid
growers, requiring a large supply Of
nourishment, and unless their roots are
well developed in advance of the. top
and kept in good condition, they will
be unable to furnish the needed food.
and failure. or partial failure, will re-
suit.
Large growers are prepared to FUR
nish from four to five hundred sorts OF
hyacinths. Now, we prefer the single
varieties, and the list of sorts is not as
long as formerly. The propagation of
hyacinths is by offsets, which form at
the base of the bulbs. The largest
bulbs are cut across the base several
times or followed out, to increase the
number of offsets which are formed.
More than the single pink variety, Nor
ma. is grown than any other. one
growers trade requires eighty thou
sand of them annually, the product of
about two acres.
The average grower must cultivate In
all about four hundred and fifty varie-
ties of tulips OF these about four hun
dred are varieties of the ordinary gar
den species, Tulipa Gesneriana, which
was introduced to western Europe from
Turkey in 1854. Tulips are propagated
by offsets, each root producing two, or
sometimes three, saleable bulbs, and
perhaps one or two of smaller size,
which require another seasons growth
before they are fit for market. They
are also easily raised from seeds, the
seedlings coming at first self-colored
while they remain SO they are known
as breeders. These have been made
very popular recently under the name
of Darwin. After a few years of Guilt
walton they break away from their
original color. If a white tulip comes
striped or marked with another color
it is called Bybloemen. OF this class
the rose or red-tinted Bybloemens
known as roses" are perhaps the most
desirable. A tulip having a yellow
ground marked with another color is
called bizarre.
In the early part of this century tu-
lips having variegated flowers were
most esteemed. To-day such self-col'