The Library of Work and Play: Gardening and Farming Part 17

In February they had a bulb exhibit and their display was really fine.

In the spring they all felt that the outdoor work, too, had paid. The beds were uncovered as early as possible. The outdoor bulb will stand considerable cold, even after it is well up. Cut worms may trouble the hyacinths; if so try the paper collar treatment.

Finally remember then three things about bulbs: good bulbs, good drainage, plenty of time in the dark.

After bulbs are through blooming let the blossom dry thoroughly and the leaves get yellow and dry. One need not keep these homely looking plants in the living room in plain sight. Put them away down cellar to finish drying out. Then cut the leaves and blossoms off to one inch of the bulb itself. Take bulb out of pot, shake all dirt off, and dry thoroughly.

These may be put into paper bags and hung up in a dry place or just packed in a pasteboard box. These indoor bulbs may be planted outdoors in the fall. They will do better for the change. Indoor bulb culture means forcing, a hard strain and demand on a bulb. Outdoor planting gives a long winter's rest, not entire rest, to be sure, but the growth during the winter is slow.

LIST OF BULBS BY COLOURS

WHITE FLOWERS ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- NAME DEPTH OUTDOOR INDOOR HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS TO PLANT BLOOM BLOOM ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- Snowdrop 2 in. March Christmas 3-4 in. Earliest of spring flowers. Likes cool and shady spots Crocus 2 in. " " 3-5 in. Buy _Crocus_ _biflorus_.

var. _argenteus_ White 3-4 in. April January 10 in. Increases very crowned rapidly daffodils

Poet's 3-4 in. May " 12 in. Excellent for narcissus outdoor work

Grape 3 in. March " 4-6 in. Plant in shady hyacinth places in the lawn

Bell- 3 in. May Christmas 12 in. Poet's narcissus flowered and this scilla scilla planted together bloom at same time

Star of 3 in. " 12 in. Most satisfactory Bethlehem for bloom

Tulips 4 in. April January 6-12 in. Try Duc Van Thol and d'Immaculee

Hyacinths 5 in. " " 6-12 in. Plant Baroness Van Thuyl, very large and very early ---------------------------------------------------------------------

YELLOW FLOWERS ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- NAME DEPTH OUTDOOR INDOOR HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS TO PLANT BLOOM BLOOM ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- Crocus 2-3 in. March Christmas 3-5 in. Plant Cloth of Gold Trumpet daffodils 4 in. April January 15 in. Van Sion is especially satisfactory. Flowers double Jonquil 4 in. " " 12 in. Flowers sweetly fragrant Daffodil 3 in. " " 4 in. Variety _Narcissus_ _Bulbocodium_ Tulips 4 in. " " 12 in. Due Van Thol, yellow Hyacinths 5 in. " " 12 in. Choose from those called bedding varieties ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+-------------------------

BLUE FLOWERS

---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- NAME DEPTH OUTDOOR INDOOR HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS TO PLANT BLOOM BLOOM ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- Common crocus 2-3 in. March Christmas 5 in. Good for lawn effects Grape Hyacinths 2-3 in. April January 15 in. Good for pot culture

Iris 4 in. May " 12-24 Plant in groups (Spanish) in. for garden effect

Iris 3 in. June " 12-24 If planted outdoors in (English) in. September, cover well with leaves Bulb- 2-3 in. May " 12 in. Satisfactory for flowered bloom scilla

Hyacinths 5 in. " " 12 in. King of the Blues

RED FLOWERS

---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- NAME DEPTH OUTDOOR INDOOR HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS TO PLANT BLOOM BLOOM ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- Peony 4 in. May 2 - Plant outdoors 2-1/2 ft. in September.

Increases and lives a long time

Late 6 in. July 3 ft. Showy and peony attractive

Red 6-8 in. August 3 ft. Protect through speciosum the winter, lily leaving bulbs in the ground

Tulips 4 April January 6-18 in. Isabelle Choose variety ----------------------------------------------------------------------

XVII

THE GIRLS' WINTER WORK.

"We want some plants at school this winter, and we each should like some plants of our own at home." This remark greeted The Chief one day in late September as he entered his home after a long tramp in the woods.

The slant rays of the late afternoon sun and the low fire in the fireplace were not able to give The Chief any clue as to the speakers.

"Who are '_we_'?" he demanded.

"I am Dee," was the reply, "and 'we' are all the girls."

"Dear me" said the man, "I thought I had settled your case by recommending bulb culture to you."

"Not much!" shouted the girls all together. "We have finished our bulb work," Katharine went on to say, "and now we are very anxious to do something with house plants. We have a good six weeks or more to wait for our bulbs, and so we thought possibly you would be willing to help us."

"I did think," grumbled the man, "that after I had invited you to a series of talks this winter you would leave me in peace."

And then they all laughed gaily together.

"Well, what is your stock you have to work with, girls? I shall have to know that before I can help you."

"We have--that is, most of us have--a lot of old straggly geraniums in our gardens. Then Katharine's mother has some fuchsias and begonias which she has promised us," replied Miriam.

"Up at the hotel where Jack sold his lettuce there are a few things I have been promised," added Elizabeth.

"Do you know what these are?" asked Ethel.

"Yes. There are some heliotrope plants, marguerites, some lovely rose geraniums, and a few flowering maples or--I have forgotten the long name for them."

"Abutilon is the other name," added The Chief. "Well, that is a start, surely. I'll do some potting with you next Sat.u.r.day afternoon. That will give Elizabeth time to get her hotel plants. I guess Dee will drive you up. You are to take a big basket with you, and your trowels. Carefully lift each plant from its resting-place. Water the soil a bit before you take up the plants. They come up easier for this, and soil is more likely to remain clinging to the roots. If it should rain Friday you will be saved the trouble of taking a watering pot with you. Be sure to take up with the plant some of its own soil. Then pack all these soil-encased plants in your basket. Do not let the sun get at them before we get at potting. Come all of you at two in the afternoon. Bring your plants with their own earth, your straggly geraniums, pots, and each a trowel. Now perhaps you will be willing to trot home so I may eat my supper."

Next Sat.u.r.day at two a grand collection of girls, plants, big pots, little pots, and trowels arrived. The Chief took girls and all out into his potting shed. This was once an old woodhouse; now a shed with benches running along two sides of it. Under the benches were great heaps of soil. Pots and pans were piled in one corner and garden implements were neatly put up on the walls.

"I call this a pretty nice place for work," said Eloise in tones full of real interest. The Chief nodded smilingly at her, for there was a bond of sympathy between the man and this real outdoor girl. Eloise had a greater appreciation of the work than any one of the others.

"Where did that splendid window box come from?" asked Josephine.

"That is one the boys made last winter especially for the school. I shall have to give you girls some group work first. Then I'll demonstrate potting and slipping to you all together. Eloise and Josephine will start to put the drainage material into the pots. Ethel and Dee may do the same for the window box. Put in your curved pieces of pot over the drainage hole, then about an inch of drainage material.

There is a wooden mallet. Crack up some bits of old flower pot as you need them. Outside is a half barrel of old pots. Instead of using all pot for this half inch of drainage material, use some charcoal. In that barrel marked charcoal you will find plenty of pieces. The charcoal is not only good for drainage but helps keep the soil sweet. Helena, Miriam and Katharine will mix the soil. Here are some firkins and peck measures. To every three measures of soil from that pile there, which is nothing but garden soil, add one measure of sand and one of leaf mould.