. Take tulips
first; these are suited to the outdoor conditions. To be sure the
florist, whose business it is to raise them inside does so with great
success. But boys and girls are more likely to have trouble with inside
planting of tulips than of other bulbs. Oftentimes lice cover them when
the bulb is first brought up from the cellar. Then when treated with
kerosene emulsion or some other insecticide the bud becomes blasted, for
the blossom is close under the folded outer leaves, so is in a very
precarious position. Then, too, tulip bulbs rot easily and the buds
blast easily. So it is wise not to run so many risks but try the kinds
of bulbs which are less prone to trouble. The easiest and safest bulbs
for children to work with are narcissus (including daffodils, jonquils,
Chinese lily bulbs and paper narcissus), and hyacinth.

Hyacinth has one bad habit when planted indoors. This is the tendency
to unfold its blossom too soon. So the beautiful hyacinth blossom
appears dwarfed and stunted close down near the ground. To avoid this
condition do not take the bulb from the dark until the leaves are about
an inch to two inches above the earth and until they have spread apart.
This gives the blossom a chance to shoot up. Tip the pot over and see if
the roots are visible through the drainage hole.

The time to buy bulbs is in late August or early September. After this
bulbs through shrinkage depreciate in value; by which value is meant not
one in price but in soundness and ability to produce blossoms. Do not
buy cheap or cut-rate bulbs. Buy good, big, sound ones.

The Roman hyacinths are excellent for forcing. They are small flowered,
quite different from the large sturdy Dutch hyacinths more commonly
planted. In choosing hyacinths you have to decide upon the colour and
whether you wish double or single varieties. In general most people
enjoy single flowers better. If you are to use the hyacinths for outdoor
planting or bedding it is perfectly safe just to write for bulbs which
are to be bedded. La Grandesse is a beautiful white; King of the Blues
speaks for itself and the Sarah Bernhardt is a salmon pink. These do
well inside, too. Charles Dickens is a fine rose colour, Prince of
Wales, violet, and L'Innocence, a fine white. These are good for inside
planting. Some may like the smaller Roman hyacinths, which do splendidly
indoors. Very good hyacinths are bought for fifteen cents.

Tulips do especially well outdoors. A ca