Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-06
BULBS FAVORlTES
OF The AMATEURS
HARDY SORTS FILL GAP Be
TWEEN END OF WINTER AND
THE BLOOMING TIME
William r. Nicho, One Of Best Author
tiles on Subject In America, Tells
Many Interesting Things About Bulb
Culture and Growth.

tiles on Subject in America, Tells
Many Interesting Things About BUD
Culture and Growth.
| Hardy bulbs are fast becoming gene
raj favorites with the amateur garoeh
er. They occupy special place III
| gardening, filing the gap between tue
! end of winter and the blooming time
of spring, producing their MOVERS
when all else in nature is sleeping.
And if planted for window gardening
| they will yield fragrant flowers ourlns
the long winter months.
To the lover of flowers there Is no
class of plants so much priced as those
produced from bulbs. The reason is
easily found for within the bulbs are
stored all the future glory of leaves
and flowers. requiring only the SIM
plest culture to develop in their high
est perfection. Success is therefore
/ the rule.
Differ From Other Flowers.
Bulbs differ from other flowers IN
many respects. First they are scarce
lly any trouble to grow, and when once
planted they will bloom every spring
for three or four years. Then, tney
are the first flowers to bloom IN the
. spring, keeping up continuous as
play until we'll into the summer. Win
| no other material can be secured sucn
| wealth OF blooms with so little trou-
. BILE and at so small cost.
First comes the cheering vision OF
, the snowdrop, scillas or ch1nodoxas'
, the harbingers of spring. then follow
the snowy crocuses, narcissus, hya'
: cinths, daffodils, jonquils and tulips
: with all their dazzling colors.
I. Bulbs adapt themselves to all posi-
lions. both natural and impoverished.
No space is so small or obscure that
! bulbs may not be planted there, pro-
!. vided water does not stand on the sur
: face and a certain amount of sunshine
reaches it. Little odds and ends OF
e ground in the city lots are fine places
e for bulbs. Narrow strips OF GROUND
$ along walls, walks, and fences are just
: the places for them. Annual flowers
9 may be sown in the bulb beds in the
: early spring.
e William F. Nichol, who is probably
one of the best authorities on bult
: culture in America, tells many inter
: esting things about the culture OF
:, bulbs and how to grow them for house
!, blooming.
:. There is no class of flowers thai
q give so great returns for the care ant
expense as the bulbs. Many amateurs
complain that their bulbs do no
bloom. This is because they are no
planted deep enough-this is the sc
l. cret. Care should be taken also tina
10 they are put away in dark quarters un
= til fully rooted before bringing then
,e to the light. This applies to house cul
n ture only. The hyacinth, undoubtedl,
$, one of the most beautiful Of all bulbs
lg should be planted in a rich sand:
'e loan. in four or five inch pots. Insert
,,e ing the bulb so that it's top will be jus
below the surface. Do not pack tn
10 soil in the pots, as the bulb will b
much less likely to push out when tn
is growth commences Water thorough
I'd ly and set the pots away In COO
of dark place for several weeks. KeeI
r. ing in dark place will allow the root
4 to grow and become firmly fixed !
~ the soil, after which the plants shout
g. be brought to light in room at ten
perature of about so to 70 degrees an
at watered frequently. Water with col
coffee occasionally, instead OF wit
eel water, as this will often increase In II
tensity the coloring Of the flowers.
Plant in October or November.
ks For outdoor culture the bulbs shout
r be planted in October and Novembe
so that the roots may make goo
Nv growth before the cold weather sets
Of but they can be set out even later
y the ground is not frozen. They requil
e. a moderately rich soil that has bee
ay we'll MANFRED for previous crops.
es else apply sheep manure, which can
re purchased at seed stores, or boz
ut meal. Fresh manure is injurious
-, bulbs. The soil should be we'll drai
,st ed, and no good results can be o
he tanned without free drainage. A sma
quantity of sand or fine coal ashes
of the base of each bulb when planted
81 stiff soil, will be beneficial. In plar
ing. the bulbs should be placed fro
as an inch to four inches below the 81
face. according to the size of the bull
,ia A good rule to go by is to cover tt
bulbs with soil one and a half tim
their own depth.
When the ground freezes hard t!
bed should be covered with three
Der four inches of leaves or litter, viii
m should be removed in early sprir
aIs Too early and heavy covering star
r ro- the tops prematurely, which are f
Use ouently injured in March by freezi
i've and thawing. After Towering, if t
,as beds are wanted for late-spring plal
of ings, take up the bulbs, tops and roc
lee and heel i'm in some corner Of t
-, garden until the bulbs mature, aft
which they should be spread out in
est airy place to dry and kept in co
nor dark place until time for replanti
the following autumn.
40. Tulips Favorites.
Tulips, with their veriety of color,
es- tense brilliancy and beautiful shadil
ney are universal favorites. Another gre
bel consideration in their favor is the ea
ieu with which they can be cultivate
and only requiring good, common gard
.eet soil to grow them to perfection. The
n. IL .o1- ,s1l1