Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-08-26
YHB TIME FOR DAFFODILS
Time to Prepare for Next Spring 4
Display.
p,ooms for Three Months In the Yenr
Possible about New York-Needs
Of the Dulbs n the Best Results
Are to he 1lad-The Sclec.
tion Of varicticss


daffodils II you want the best results In
the vicinity Of New York." asserted a
woman who has earned her pin monney
by raising daffodls for several years.
I'm my Long Island garden make
point Of putting the bulbs into their new
beds during the first week OF September
Dafodils planted then can bo counted
on TO give blossoms in the neshborhood
OF New York IN the last seven days VI
the following March.
The imported bulbs are seldom re-
ceived hero before the middle OF the
month. To expedite their planting as
much as possible I have the beds prepared
for the nrN week in September and get
the bulbs In Immediately on their ar
rival. DO this because the more root
growth a dafrodil can make before the
winter sets IN the larger will Re It's now
ers the next spring.
Never mako tho mistake Of applying
manure 70 the bulb beds with the idea OF
forcing greater development Of either
plant flower. Though tho bulbs luxuri-
ate IN rich soil they resent sctual con-
tact with manure and when the spring
comes you will and the foliage yellow,
and II there arc any flowers they will be
small and poor color.
"Daffodiis. with which include the
narcissus. with a very few exceptions.
give the very best results IN a deep
moisture holding. air penetrated soil
OVERLAPPING porous subsoil and in par
tial shade. In the highest part OF my
gardens have found that the large
trumpet daffodils do better than IN the
lower and damper spots. while the poet,-
Gus types do best in heavier, damper
| coil. There are several exceptions to this
rule. and among the most conspicuous
Is the old double daffodil or double Van
Sion. This must have damp moist soil
II II IL to retain It's rich color.
Though most Of the bulbs do better
in most situation. It must not be for
! gotten that none OF them will furnish
II their feet are allowed to remain wet
Wet feet prevents the maximum growth
and the perfection Of blossom in all
bulbs. The moisture must he drained
away. and from below.
IT have experimental In my gardens
with almost every known variety OF DAFT
fodil, some OF them costing as much as
= a bulb. and I have decided that the
whole secret OF success in producing the
best. largest, most perfect and richest
coiored flowers and foliage lies In secur-
Ing the maximum root development.
Now. root development Is entirely de-
pendent upon congenial soil and condi-
lions. What nature hasn't done you
must yourself supply.
Light, dry sandy or gravelly soil must
be made heavier and more retentive OF
moisture. II you have time the best way
to accomplish this Is by growing crimson
clover, COW peas or some green crop that
can be turned under and left 70 decay.
| OF course. II 10 all the better II the land
can be highly MANFRED before the green
crop is planted.
| ~ you haven't enough time to put
in this gren crop very good results may
be had by starting some three or four
| weeks before the bulbs are to be plant
ed. The top soil should be removed to
the depth OF 10 or ~ inches. Then we'll
rotted stable manure should be worked
into the underlying soil to the depth OF
Elk or eight inches. About an inch Of
the manure will be sufficient. After
this Is thoroughly done the top soil
should be replaced. Under no circum-
| stances should the manure be mixed with
the upper soil.
Where the soil Is heavy and wet o!
| course the problem Is to make ii lighter
| ana more porous. The first step In this
mellowing process IS to get sufY1cient
understanding. This may be satisfac-
torily done with either tile or triangle
shaped board conduits put In about three
feet below the surface. These drains
should be from I, 10 ~ feet apart, ac-
cording to the dnmpness and heaviness
OF the soil. II Is best that these drains
should be laid with a slight fall The
next best thing to putting IN these drains
Is 10 give the land a thorough subsoil
ploughing TO the depth OF is inches or
even two feet.
Where manuring has not been previ-
ously done would advise the use OF
pure ground bone only at the rate OF
from two to Ave ounces for every square
yard. This should be evenly strewn ovei
the top OF the soil and thoroughly dug
in. This should be followed by any good
commercial fertilizer rich in potash al
the rate Of one or two ounces to the
square yard. II should be slftcd on Just
before the Ilnal raking and levelling.
Where the soil Is light and sandy
about one ounce OF sulphate OF potnsf
should be strewn on the bed after the
bulbs are planted; this Is OF course after
the other fertilizers have been worked
In as described have found unleachet
wood ashes excellent for light, sandy
soils. 1t deepens the coloring OF the now
crs and tends to check abnormal growth
In both plant and foliage.
| THE depth and the distance between
the bulbs vary according to the variety
size az bulbs. the nature OF the soil and
| whether the beds are to be perrnane
or temporary. A. the bulbs OF bulho
oodlum. trandrius ana a few othe'
groups grow no bigger than peas and TN
plants are never very large they may b'
set three inches apart Bulbs in othel
groups frequently attain the size of si'
or eight inches In circumference and
make plants often two feet sigh. Suc9
bulbs should be set from six TO twelve
l inches apart.
THE rule Is to plant deeper In lish
"o'is than IN heavy. In my own garden
make 1t point to plant the bulbs al
deep % their circumference. This place.
the base OF the bulb Of most varieties
, about four inches below the surface
where the soil IL light the depth should
be increased about one-hnlf. In plant
, ing remember that deep planting Is al
ways safer. especially In cold. expose,
localities
When the ground is heavy and tn
water from melting snow remains un
usually long on II In the sprins I hav
= found placing a handful OF sand abou
the bulb TO have a very satisfactory 81
feet. The largest and richest flower
that ! have ever produced have been 4
partial shade. There are, however. man
varieties which do hetter 49,.