The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-04-27
GROWING BULBS EASILY.
Timely Suggestions Regarding the
Forcing of Bulb Either in Water
or Soil.
BY EVA RYMAN-GAILORD.

Rulbs should be Dotted in fairly
rich soil that has been pulveriZed until
free from Jumps; be given a good
Watering: have the soil we'll frmed
round them, but not packed hard
under them, and be kept in a cool,
lark place until root growth is Well
established. Nothing is gained by
bringing bulbs TO the light too soon,
and often the beauty of their flowers
s sacrificed by SO doing.
Leave them in their cool. dark quar-
ters until the roots show al the open
ing in the bottom Of the pot and the
foliage is an inch or more high.
This treatment inSureS strong roots
that can take up both food and moist
ure from the soil for the
OF the plant, whereas bringing them
to the light before the root growth is
Well established means that much of
the top growth must be made from
the stored-up vitality.
Not all bulbs give as good results
when grown in water as when the soil
is used. but 6he Chinese sacred lilies
do if rightly treated. What is meant
by rightly treated? In the first
place examine the bulb and if there
is a hard crust or scale over the base
remove =.
Then peel off the outer LAYERS Of
brown skin and with a sharp knife
cut gashes from the base and half
way to the heart.
Those who have never tried this will
feel sure they have ruined the bulb,
but they have simply put it in such
condition that the bulbs can spread
the layers and get out. When the
bulb is not gashed h bud that form
fail to get up through the neck and
die from compression.
Hyacinths, some varieties Of tulips,
crocus and various other bulbs give
sood results when grown in water,
and the vater-forcing method is Very
desirable in furnace or gas heated
rooms where there is a lack Of moist
ure in the atmosphere.
The usual methOd of Water-forclnS
is to set the bulb in water just deep
enough to keep the base OF the bulb
immersed and keen in the dark untli
growth is well started. but as ] nave
had such fine success with a method
of treatment that differs somewhat
the foregoing it may be worth
describing.
Instead of placing the bulbs in
water at the start | put them IN SOIL
and treat them eXactly as | do those
WI grow entirely IN the sou, puL
vhen they reach the stage where they
would be brought to the light | take
them from the oil. wash the roots
(bv gently shaking in water) and
arrance in glass or fancy dishes
whatever they are TO have as
support-shells. pebbles, moss or
whatever it ma be.
When all is in position ill the dish
water to a depth to a little more
cover the base of the bulbs ana
replenish as it is taken up.
AS ordinarily treated. water-forced
bulbs get no nouriShment worth men
-ioning and must supply all that IS
needed for the making OF roots ana
foliage; but, treated as described, the
punishment stored in the bulb IS
saved for the production Of the flow
4rs. which are enough finer to We'll
,epay one for the little extra trouble
aiken.
il is a good plan to give bulbs grown
n either way a little boosting after
he flower buds are Well formed, and
he most effective booster ! have ever
'ound is nitrate Of q
Put a lump the size OF a pea mt
he water about once a Week-or
,ftener if several bulbs are growing
ogether Put the soda into the water
poured INTO the soil if the bulbs are
in soil.