CORNISH BULBS.
In regard to English bulbs, a special feature in some seed catalogues was made a year ago of Lincolnshire bulbs, and is likely to be made next of Cornish bulbs, especially narcissi ;. but as yet our growers have not reached the specialist technical skill of the Dutch, though they produce as good flowers. It is complained that they do not sort, select, or present their bulbs with like skill. Nor are they all careful enough to exclude " rogues," or sorts untrue to type. One reason is that their principal business has been flower-cutting rather than bulb selling. Buyers, too, should appreciate the difference between home and imported bulbs. The Cornish bulbs are rather smaller and rather earlier—an important point. Lincoln bulbs, being also earlier, tend to soften sooner than the Dutch. They therefore should be ordered earlier and planted earlier. The fact that a bulb is soft may seem to some buyers to condemn the English product, but they would be wrong. Those who order bulbs from our seedsmen can always stipulate that they should be British, but it is well to remember ,that some sorts, especially hyacinths, cannot be grown for bulb production in this country. * *
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