The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-22
FLOWERING BULBS.
Beds Laid Out Now viii Blossom in
March or April.


Women who want gardens of bright
colored flowers to bloom early in the
spring should plant the bulbs of GRO
cuses. narcissus, snowdrops, scillas,
tulips, etc, in October, to have them
Towering in March and April.
Those who have little space in which
to plant flowers should first decide
upon the exact dimension, as well as
the shape, of a bed, whether to have
1t round, pointed like a star, a cfeS-
cent, a plain square or oblOng figure.
It should even be determined how the
the bulbs are to be put in the ground,
if in straight lines, circles or clusters.
Then the varieties to be used should
be carefully selected, to make sure
that the cOlors viii harmonic and
that the bulbs, whether of one kind
or of several species, make the bed
beautiful when blooming. Solid col
the most effective. or a combination OF
red and white. Mixed coIors, as q
rule, are not so artistic, but some per
| sons prefer red, pink, cardinal and
white in one group. Red and blue
/ should never be put together in the
same plot.
Planting the Bulbs.
If the ground has not previously
/ been prepared for planting the bulbs
should be Immediately removed from
! the wrappings or boxes and spread on
shelves or in boxes and put in cool,
dry room. They should never be
kept in a warm living room or IN a
/ damp cellar and should be planted as
soon after they are bought as is posi-
! BILE so they will not lose vitality.
In preparing a bed for fall planting
an expert florist says: Begin by
/ spading the earth deeply. Go down
the full length of fork, etc, and be
| sure to throw the bottom soil up and
| into the center, 50 that it will be on
top. With this mix the old fertilizer
that has previously been placed on the
| bed to enrich 1t. Then turn the earth
| with a fork until there are no hard
Jumps that might make an uneven
surface and be the means of irregular
/ towering, because of the different de-
grees of dryness. Enough sand should
be added before the bed is leveled to
insure proper drainage and prevent
the bulbs from rotting by allowing
| water to stand around them with no
I chance of being carried away. Then
make the surface of the bed level by
ralliny down from the center the soil,
/ that should be smooth and fine
When the bed is in condition plant
the bulbs
Make Beds Regular.
To prevent crowding when planting
and to make the shape of the bed regu-
lar the distance between each flower
/ should be accurately measured and a
space of at least six inches should be
/ kept between the bulbs. To facilitate
| the work in planting, if the blooms are
! wood aout three feet in length and
from two to four inches in width and
drive nails into the narrow edge, put
ting them six inches apart, or at what
| ever distance the bulbs are to be plant
ed The nails should not be hammered
! through the wood, for they are to be
used in making the lines on which the
flowers are to be planted. Attach a
round handle to the center of the
stick and a serviceable marker will
be completed. Draw it across the bed
both ways, and at the intersections of
all the lines plant the bulbs. To make
| sure that all the flowers are planted at
/ the same depth, and that other things
/ being equal. the bloom shall be the
same height, use a dtbble and thus Sc
cure a symmetrical bed
How to Make DibbIe.
A dibble can be made from a spade
by cutting off the wood five inches
below the handle and sharpening the
point. or from q piece of wood about an
inch and quarter in diameter.
Through it drive nail five inches
from the sharpened end. or the depth
lit is to be plunged into the earth, and
the dibble is ready for use To use,
plunge it into the ground and press a
round hole. The only objection to
using this tool is that occasionally it
congresses the soil and leaves a hol-
low place beneath the bulb, which If
not filled with sand may hold water
and and so injure the roots.
Run the dibble into the earth sew
eraI times, to make a firm opening
then plant the bulbs aud cover them
at once with dirt packing down gent
" with the hands or with troWel
The first plants should be placed in
the middle of the beds 50 there viii be
no danger Of disturbing them while
putting in the others When finished,
water the plot, taking care that the
earth is only dampened and not
+ Z coo lad The garden needs no more