CHAPTER LVI

DAFFODIL AND OTHER BULBS

“GOOD!” Bob approved as Billy paused, “that’s a splendid lecture, Bill.”

“Isn’t it?” cried Eleanor. “I believe we know almost everything now about planting bulbs.”

“What kinds are we going to plant?” asked Mary Frances, looking at the large package the boys had brought with them.

They opened it and Bob began to speak: “Young ladies,” he commenced; then, “Oh, I say, Bill, I can’t come this ‘professor act.’ You’d better do the lecturing!”

“No, sir-ee!” declared Billy. “It’s your turn now. Go ahead.”

“Oh, go on, Bob,” cried Eleanor.

“Please do!” begged Mary Frances.

“All right, then,” replied Bob, laughing, “only don’t expect much erudite stuff from humble me—even when I read my notes.”

Then, opening his book, and clearing his throat, he started once more: “Listen, young ladies, and you will hear of—

BULBS TO PLANT IN THE FALL

_Snowdrops_

The earliest Spring garden flower, sometimes coming literally out of the snow as early as February; but usually blooming in March. The blossoms are small, white, bell-shaped, not in the least showy. Only one who has come upon them unexpectedly blooming in his garden knows the thrill of pleasure which they bring. As they are small and inexpensive, plant a number of bulbs about two inches apart, to cover an irregular circle. Once planted they take care of themselves.

_Squills_ (_Scilla_)

Near the Snowdrops, plant in the same way, a dozen Siberian Squills. Beautiful blue flowers, which will bloom perhaps while some of the Snowdrops are in blossom. Once planted, do not disturb.

_Grape Hyacinths_ (_Muscari_)

Little stalks of tiny tight blue bells, or white, somewhat the shape of tiny fairy-folks’ grapes. Everyone should have a dozen or so of these pretty early Spring-flowering bulbs.

_Narcissus_ or _Daffodils_

Everybody knows a daffodil, for breathes there a human being with soul so dead as not to feel warmth of heart at the sunshine glow of its yellow petals?

But not everybody knows the difference between daffodils and jonquils and narcissus.

The fact is, they are all sold by dealers under the name Narcissus.

Every Narcissus has a “cup and saucer” form. In some, the cup, or _trumpet_, is tall; in some, it is short; in others, it is double: and according to the shape of the cup, each Narcissus is named.

All dealers agree that the type with the double cup is called _daffodil_. It is not generally thought so attractive as the single sorts.

The single sorts are of the following different varieties of Narcissus:

{_Giant Trumpet._ Very showy, with large cups and { saucers. Buy “Emperor,” and “Empress.” {_Medium Trumpet._ (“Star” Narcissus.) Not so { large nor attractive, but very graceful. Buy _Narcissus_ { “Barii Conspicuus.” {_Poet’s Narcissus._ Old-fashioned favorite. Charming { fragrant white flowers, with cups edged with red. { Buy “Poeticus” (Pheasant’s Eye) or “King Edward { VII.” Very easily grown.

_Jonquils_ are the small-flowering type of Narcissus. They are easily grown, and many have a charming fragrance.

_Polyanthus Narcissus_ or Nosegay Daffodils are the little clustered kind grown indoors.

All these distinctions, and many others, are made by the dealers, but almost everyone of us thinks of all the yellow Narcissus as Daffodils. They grow so readily, with almost no care, that everyone, with only the tiniest garden, should plant at least a half dozen bulbs of the “Giant Emperor.”

Within a few years after planting, the Spring will bring dozens of blossoms of—

“Daffodown-dilly, Come up to town, In a green petticoat And a gold gown.”

_Hyacinths_

Single sorts do better than double. As a rule, hyacinths do not improve from being kept in the ground all Winter; they may be taken up and stored in a cool cellar over Winter to be planted in the early Spring; but a better plan is to let the old bulbs gradually “run out,” and plant a few new bulbs each Fall. These are sent to dealers every Autumn from Holland, because the climate of Holland is nearly perfect for bulb growing. Sometimes hyacinths do quite well for a number of years kept in the ground out-of-doors.

Their charming fragrance, color and form, make them a most attractive flower. They come in white, pinks and purples.

_Tulips_

The most gorgeous of all Spring-flowering bulbs.

{_Early Single._ Grow about eight inches high; come in { pinks, reds, yellows, white. {_Early Double._ These are not so beautiful as the single { varieties. {_Cottage Garden_ (May flowering). A tall variety, growing { about eighteen inches high, blooming much later than _Tulips_ { the Early Single. {_Darwin._ The most desirable of all tulips, but not very { early. The tallest grow nearly thirty inches high. { Globe-shaped flowers of most brilliant shades of reds, { purples, pinks and white. If yellow is desired, buy { one of the Cottage Garden, for there are no yellow { Darwins. {_Parrot._ Showy; of variegated shading and irregular { petals. Not so artistic as single sorts, but very odd { and interesting. Buy only a _few_ bulbs.

While tulips are most effective if planted in groups or masses, an edging of the stiff blooms of the Early Single is delightful, especially if a red is alternated with a white. They look almost like “candles in bloom.”

_Lilies_

Lilies dislike sour soil, so sprinkle some lime over the ground before digging it deeply. A little powdered charcoal in each hole helps, too, and it is well to dust each bulb with flowers of sulphur to protect from worms and mildew.

Lilies love shade, and do best among other perennials because they will shade their roots, which spread out near the surface of the ground. By the way, since they spread near the surface, do not “cultivate” lilies. Do not disturb the bulbs, which will bloom for years if planted right in the first place. Most lilies bloom in Mid-summer.

{_Plantain Lily_ (Funkia). The most easily grown, { with spikes of blooms about eighteen inches { high, in white, blue or lavender. {_Yellow Day Lily_ (Hemerocallis). Grows anywhere, { sometimes killing out other flowers. { Blooms on stems about thirty inches high. {_Madonna Lily_ (Candidum). Beautiful, stately, { tall white lilies with delightful fragrance. They { resemble “Easter Lilies.” Cover bulbs with _Hardy Lilies_ { only two inches of soil. {_Red Spotted Lily_ (Lilium Speciosum Rubrum). { A tall Japanese lily, easily grown. Large white { flowers dotted with red, borne on a tall stem. {_Tiger Lily_ (Tigrinum). Orange spotted with { black. Very easily grown. {_Lilies-of-the-Valley._ Grown from “pips,” or tiny { bulbs. Plant in the Spring in rich earth. They { like some shade.

_Iris_ (_Flags_)

_Spanish Iris._ Exquisite orchid-like blooms, in white and rich shades of blue, yellow, bronze.

_German Iris._ Very easily grown and very desirable.

BULBS TO PLANT IN EARLY SPRING

Among these are:

_Tuberoses_

Plant in May, and again in June and July, in order to have a continuation of bloom of these powerfully fragrant and beautiful white flowers.

_Gladiolus_

These bulbs are planted in May and June at two weeks intervals, in order to have blooms from July to October. They like rich soil, and powdered sheep manure, which is sold by the pound, is a good substitute for rotted stable manure. They like the sunny places.

The bulbs of both tuberoses and gladiolus should be taken out of the ground in the Fall after the foliage becomes yellow. The stems are cut off and the bulbs dried on an airy shelf, or any place which is neither very warm nor very cold. They are set in the ground again in the Spring.

Cannas and dahlias grow from fleshy roots and are planted in the Spring also. They are lifted and dried in the Fall.

If your garden space is small, the following selection of bulbous plants will give a great deal of enjoyment:

HARDY BULBS FOR A SMALL GARDEN

6 Snowdrops 6 Grape Hyacinths (2 white, 4 blue) 6 Emperor Daffodils 6 Poet’s Narcissus (Pheasant’s Eye) 6 Early Single Tulips 12 Darwin Tulips (3 each, of four different colors) 3 Spanish Iris 6 German Iris

GROWING BULBS INDOORS

It is very interesting and delightful to grow bulbs indoors, where the warmth “forces” them into bloom in the cold winter months. If they are managed in the right way, you may have blooms from Christmas on. Do not attempt to have over a half dozen pots the first year.

Bulbs may be grown indoors in pots or in prepared fibre, which may be bought of a dealer.

If grown in pots, prepare a rich soil of sand and leaf mold. If impossible to get leaf mold, use a sprinkling of bone meal. Place some pieces of broken flower pots or pebbles in the bottom of the pots to drain the water off, or the bulbs will mold.

If grown in prepared fibre, moisten the fibre before putting in the pot, but do not make it wet enough to wring. Plant bulbs as in soil, but do not pack in tight. After watering, turn pot on the side to drain off the water. A piece of charcoal in the bottom of the pan or pot keeps the fibre sweet.

Hyacinths do well when grown in glass vases. The glass vases used are made for the purpose, and hold the bulb just above the water—not touching.

The main point in growing bulbs indoors is to arrange to keep them growing in a _dark, cool_ place until the roots have formed and the leaves show about three inches.

This is accomplished in several different ways. Perhaps the simplest of all is to place the pots on a cool cellar floor and cover them with ashes, which will assure their being kept in the dark. Keep them damp by watering the ashes once or twice a week. (The same idea is better carried out by the use of a _cold frame_, the making of which is described in the next chapter.)

Place the pots on ashes in the frame, throwing three or four inches of ashes over them; or use dried peat moss instead of ashes. This is sold by dealers in seeds and plants.

Place glass cover on the cold frame when the weather becomes severe.

About three weeks before you wish them to bloom bring some of the potted bulbs into the warmth of the house. Do not place them immediately in a very warm place or in the sunlight. Give them as much fresh air as possible.

After planting bulbs in prepared fibre, or hyacinths in glasses, keep them in a dark, airy closet until the roots have formed, which will be in about six weeks. Then bring them into warmth and light. The roots of the hyacinth should reach the bottom of the glasses before bringing them into the light.

Daffodils and single tulips, crocuses, polyanthus narcissus (often grown in pebbles in water) all are easily forced into bloom indoors.

“But,” added Billy as Bob drew a long breath, “growing bulbs indoors is a rather tedious experiment, and better not be attempted by young children,” as he pulled Mary Frances’ hair ribbon untied.

“Well, neither of you would have known much, Mr. Superior Knowledge,” laughed Eleanor, “if you hadn’t studied this all within a week or so.”

“Let’s begin to plant,” was Billy’s answer.