The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-01-07

each season TO soil that had h ma
nure the year before.
THE FLOWER GARDEN.
/ finished the planting of fall bulbs
December rs. The last planted were
the Roman hyacinths. l always plant
these ate in order to prevent rheir
growing untimely. If planted while
the soil is warm, they will grow at
once and try to get into bloom by
Christmas, and then. Of course, Will
get hurt by the cold, and in this way
have a reputation for being tender.
The same is true of the Polyanthus
narcissus. the Paper White and the
Grand Soleil Dor. These are reputed
very tender, and yet they hved
through last winter with me, n cold
est in fifty years. when our SOIL 1roze
a FOOT deep. This was because l
TAINTED them after the soil was cold.
l plant tulips and Dutch hySclnths
early to get we'll rooted. Candidum
lilies I plant in their only
season, in August or early september,
for these make a strong fall growth
Of leaves that remain green all WIN
ter, and must have this crown OF
leaves or they will not bloom we'll the
following m
have now in my garden nearly
1000 Of these lilies, over 1000 tulips
of a number OF named varieties, l.O00
narcissus of a number Of varieties, 600
crocus and 100 P~uShkinias (sQ'lills)
and 100 snoWdrops and 500 hyacinths.
The crocus, Pushkinias and noWdrops
are planted all owe the lawn under
the sod, and they will make h lawn
gay in early spring, and later on will
be mown off with the grass and let
stay there permanently.
Then in the spring | will plant
about 2,000 gladioii, mainly of the new
American, hat makes a large pale
pink flower and sells wei. The bulbs
and their bloom are the commercial
part of my garden, for 1 ship the cut
flowers to a floral commission house
and they sell at very profitable rates.
] can put them in the Philadelphia
market in our hours. From a great
er distance, this could not be done in
summer, unless one has the advan-
ts.ge Of a refrigerator car, and hat
would not pay unless the product was
grown on a very large scale.
The sale Of the bulbs is a secondary
consideration. I grow the Candidum
lilies to greater perfection in our san
oy soil than those imported from
France, and could have 20 last sum
meF all that I had, but hat I Wanted
to Increase the stock.
1 grew as fine gladiolus bulbs as
can be grown anywhere, n tulips as
large and fine as Eel came from HOl-
land. And I believe that we can beat
the foreigners in the production OF
narcissus and Roman hyacinths.
One grower near Portsmouth, Va.
had last season sixty acres in narcis.
sus, and his sales are very
ging. He is an experienced grower
from the Channel Islands from which
the imported narcissus bulbs arr
largely imported to this country. Thu
kmerican-groWn narcissus bulbs arr
rapidly taking the place of tho i'm.
ported ones, as the florists who force
them in winter find hat the American
bulbs loom earlier and better thar
h imported ones
We can grow tuberose bulbs. too
but the growers bou Magnolia, n
c., have the u of these and suppl!
all the demand for them there is il
doubt lat the magnolia growers cal
produce tn narcissus and other bulb
In perfection, and that they can lear
how to grow the Bermuda lily bulbs
too, and these have not yet beel
grown profitably in this country.
There is nothing more interestin,
than the growing of these Towering
that we will yet produce in his coun
try better than the ones imported b,
the million. Then, too, it is pleasan
to have plenty OF flowers for one
. own house n table. I have nov
: flowers Of h Paper White and Gran,
SoIetl Dor narcissus, that have bee
, grown in bowls Of water and pebble.
+ n have more Of them coming int
5 bloom in the greenhouse lante i
I shallow boxes OF soil. AS with yeee
. tables, | try to have some flower
every day in the year to cut for tn
dinner table.
GIVE YOUR BOY A CHANCE IN
q 1913.
GIVE your o a han the comm
Year and he will shov uo, - .