Fig. 370. Pot of tulips.
After the bulbs are planted in the pots or other receptacles, they should be placed in a cool place, either in a cold pit or cellar or on the shady side of a building, or, better yet, plunged or buried up to the rim of the pot in a shady border. This is done to force the roots to grow while the top stands still; as only the bulbs with good roots will give good flowers. When the weather gets cold enough so that a crust is frozen on the soil, the pots should be covered with a little straw, and as the weather gets colder more straw must be used. From six to eight weeks after planting, the bulbs should have made roots enough to grow the plant, and the pots may be taken up and placed in a cool room for a week or so; after which, if the plants have started into growth, they may be taken into a warmer room where they can have plenty of light. They will grow very rapidly now and will want lots of water; after the flowers begin to show, the pots may stand in a saucer of water all the time. When just coming into bloom the plants may have full sunlight part of the time to help bring out the color of the flowers. [Fig. 370] shows a pot of tulips.
I want to tell you of two bulbs that do not need so much fussing with to get them to bloom for Christmas. One of them is called freesia ([Fig. 371]) and if I could have but one kind of bulb to flower in the winter, I should choose this. The little bulbs are not half as large as crocus bulbs and you will be astonished at the large leaves and flowers such a bulb can produce. The bulbs are about the cheapest of all winter bulbs and they grow without putting them away to make roots, as the tops do not seem as impatient to start as those of most other bulbs, but wait until there are roots to help them along. The flowers are borne on a slender stem and look very graceful, either on the plant or in bouquets. They are also very fragrant, and a pot with five or six bulbs will perfume a large room. All they need is good light soil, sunlight, water, and warmth to make glad the heart of anyone who plants them.
Fig. 371. Pot of the freesia.
The other bulb I should select is the oriental narcissus or Chinese sacred lily. This grows in water without any soil whatever. Just take a bowl or glass dish about three times the size of the bulb; put some pretty stones in the bottom; set in the bulb and build up around it with stones so as to hold it stiff when the leaves have grown; tuck two or three small pieces of charcoal among the stones to keep the water sweet; then fill up the dish with water and add a little every few days, as it evaporates. Set the dish in a warm, light place. In about six weeks the fragrant, fine white flowers will fill the room with perfume and you will have the pleasure of watching the roots start and grow, the top throw up long green leaves, and the flower clusters develop and open their flowers. Hyacinths may also be grown in water, but not as easily as this narcissus, or in such inexpensive dishes.
Fig. 372. Winter box of bulbs.
The picture ([Fig. 372]) of a bulb box was taken last winter from a box of mixed bulbs grown at Cornell. The calla in the center and the Kenilworth ivy trailing over the front were planted in the box in September, and pots of geraniums and other plants set on the dirt to fill the space. When the bulbs that were in pots were ready to be started they were taken out of the pots and set in the dirt in the box, where they grew and flowered; the tall stems are paper white narcissus, the best variety for winter. On each side there is a hyacinth just starting and in front a little freesia in bloom. When these bulbs were done flowering, small pots of blooming plants were set on the box and a charming window box was obtained with many different things in it through the winter.