The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-10-28


blossoms. The conditions of growth
are so simple and so few that there is
no reason why any one should fail
with them. Further, they do not need
TO be in the living room at all until a
shirt time before their blossoms are
due, nor need they be retained there
after their flowers have faded. For an
expenditure of dollar or two con
siderable variety can be secured and
succession of bloom covering four to
even eight weeks maintained.
As soon as possible in the fall the
bulbs should be purchased and plant
ed If the planting can be done dur
ing September, supply of flowers
may be expected as early as Decem-
Der and succession maintained until
mid January or later from this one
planting. A second planting during
October will continue the succession
from the latter part Of January until
spring
For the best results the soil in
which bulbs are to be planted should
be fairly rich but always well supplied
with humus. With such soil the pots
may be filled after placing a few
pebbles, broken pots, hard coal clink-
ers or other drainage caterals in the
bottoms. The bulbs themselves should
be covered with about half an inch of
soil. Always pots should be filled not
nearer than within half an inch of
the rim.
After planting, the pots should be
stood in water an inch or so deep until
the surface is seen to be getting wet.
They may then be placed in cold
frame, preferably well shaded
part of the garden, or + preferred, in
a cold cellar. Once a week or per
haps oftener they should be exam
ined, to see that they are not dry
ing out. An occasional watering will
keep them supplied with moisture, but
# they are covered over with damp
sLraw or fabric mats the necessity for
watering can be reduced. Profession
al florists usually bury the pots in
damp coal ashes, sawdust or other ma
terial that holds moisture well, so as
to reduce the evaporation.
Every precaution should be taken
to keep the bulbs cool, so as to induce
rather slow but sure development of
the roots. Under n circumstances
should any of the bulbs be brought in
to the light until they show an inch
or more of leaves in the form of a
bud above the surface of the soil.
These leaves may even be allowed to
develop to two or three inches be-
fore being taken into warmer, lighter
quarters. If the cellar or the cold
frame have been dark and cool, as
they should be, the bulbs should be
taken first to rather cool room but
warmer than ether the cellar or the
cold frame Here they may be al
lowed to stay for a week or two be-
fore being moved into the room in
which they are to blossom. BY Sc
lecting, first, those plants that are
most developed, the period of bloom
ing can be extended as already indi-
Gated, and by keeping the others cool,
cold or even almost frozen they may
be retarded still more
When taken into the house for bios
soming the pots should preferably be
placed in northern room fir the first
fw days. This will gradually accus-
tom them to light After these few
days sojourn they should be moved to
southern window if possible, other
wise on eastern or a western one so
they will get direct sun more or less
every day. Beyond keeping them sup
piled with water, no further attention
need be given to them unless they ap-
pear to be growing top heavy, in
which case stake should be placed
so as not to toucn tne DulD llSell
nor injure many of the roots when be-
pushed into the soil. To this the
leaves and flowers may be fastened by
string passing around the entire
mass of leaves and flowers. The bulbs
most likely to need support are frees-
las, Chinese lilies, and the tall grow
ing varieties of tulips and narcissus.
any people prefer to brow bulbs in
water without the aid of soil. All
that is necessary in such cases is TO
provide glasses which will keep the
bulbs just out OF the water, or at least
so that nothing more than the bases
touch the surface. Hyacinth glasses
of several styles are provided for
this sort of work, and are very salts.
factory, especially those which have
two tubes, one with a cup-shaped TOP
and long neck which rests in deep