Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-31
HOW TO CARE FOR BULBS

Easy as 1t is TO keep the naruy Dutcn
bulbs-that is, tulips, hyacinths and
narcissus, and especially the two first
named-from year to year, many am
ateurs saddle themselves with unnec-
essary expense by digging them up
and throwing them away after they
have done Towering, and then buying
new ones to plant out the following
November. If you want purely bedding
effects, where every bulb should be of
uniform size and quality, and you are
only dealing with small quantities, 1t
will certainly be best to buy afresh
each season, getting selected bulbs OF
first size. But for ordinary border
planting you can keep them over from
year to year and increase your stock
by a very simple method.
The great secret of successful bulo
culture is to leave them alone after
Towering and let the foliage ripen fully.
Do not be in a hurry to disturb them
until the foliage has become distinctly
yellowed and begins to shrivel. when
the foliage shows these conditions, 1t is
a sign that the bulb has ripened and
growth has ceased for the season; 1t
can now be lifted from the ground
without suffering any damage. Indeed,
by proper handling it will be improved.
Some time, during the present month
generally, it will be safe to lift Tulips
and hyacinth bulbs and spread them
out in an airy shaded place TO dry.
Do not place them in full sunsnlne'
but outdoors under the shade of trees
or in the shelter of building. let
them ripen or cure here. When the
foliage is entirely withered, curing Will
he complete. They can then be stored
away in boxes in cool place Wnere
there is plenty of fresh air ana Tree
circulation. Everything depends upon
keeping them properly now. In damp,
badly ventilated place they will usually
rot. In an overheated, excessively dry
nlace. such as a furnace room, they
will be completely shriveled. Keep
them in a normal temperature and
leave them until the fall.
The old stems will be perfectly dry
and will crumble to dust as the bulbs
are rubbed through the fingers. Cieah
them thoroughly and assort them INTO
sizes. removing any little offsets'
which NAV be treated separately by
growing on for Towering size later
The cleaned, selected bulbs can be re-
planted in exactly the same way as
the new stock imported from Holland:
The small offsets should be planted
in rows and treated exactly ike the
larger bulbs, and in time they VIII at
tain Towering size. Narcissus bulbs
are best left alone for three or four
years, and then, when they are dis
turbed, should be lifted in August and
replanted as soon as possible. They
can be held out longer, but great
deal in vigor is gained by early plant
ing.
Bulbs that are planted in the lawn
can be lifted in exactly the same way
for replanting, if it is thought the
foliage will become unsightly during
the summer, or they may be allowed
to remain where they are, provided the
lawn is not cut over so that the foliage
is removed before there are signs of
ripening. 1t is perfectly practical, II
the room is wanted earlier, to lift the
bulbs soon after Towering, heellng
them in lightly to ripen in a shaded
place in the garden. The one principle
in bulb-growing and the only thing TO
be remembered is that the bulb can
not produce flowers next year unless IL
is allowed to grow naturally this sea-
son and mature it's full growth before
any attempt is made to dry 1t OH ana
store it.
Forced bulbs that have been taken
out from pots or flats and put into the
garden border after Towering can be
depended upon to recover If left alone,
and the second year from forcing can
he handled in exactly the same way as
the other bulbs,
For storing, the best arrangement Is
to have the bulbs in shallow boxes or
flats about two inches deep, with plen-
tv of ventilation at the bottom, the
boxes themselves being piled one on top
of the oher, but separated bu support
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