Bulbs should go very slowly from dark and cold to warmth and light.  This is a point to be remembered.

The girls who stored their pots in attic and cellar of course had to water them.  This should be done as often as the plant needs it, perhaps three times a week.

[Illustration: 
    The bulb story

1.  Ample Drainage 2.  Depth of Planting 3.  Perfect Root Development 4.  Ready to Come to the Light

Photographs by H.E.  Angell and Henry Schultz.]

When the plant is about an inch above the ground, as one of the pictures shows, it is the time to bring it to the light.  Be sure the outer leaves have spread apart in the ease of hyacinths and tulips; also invert the pot and see if the roots are poking through; this is another way to be sure that the bulb is ready to come to the light.

A way to help a hyacinth or tulip develop its stems properly and so prevent blossoming low down in the box is to put a cone over the bulb as soon as you bring it to the light.  Make the cone of paper and have one opening at the top two inches in diameter.  The flower stem and leaves of the bulb will quickly start to grow up to the light.  Take this cone off when the leaves are several inches high.

The girls did some water-planting, too.  For this purpose hyacinths, Chinese lilies, paper narcissus and jonquils are good.  Some people put these dishes and glasses immediately in the light.  But it is better if they are set away in the dark until the shoots start and the roots, too, begin development.  The girls bought glass dishes at the five-and-ten-cent store.  Into these dishes were put small stones which they had gathered in the fall for this purpose.  Stones should be small for this work, from one-half inch to an inch in diameter.  Josephine had a lot of fine white sand which she packed in all about the stones.  The sand was kept thoroughly wet all the time.  This is a good method of treatment.  Paper white narcissus, if planted early, will blossom by Thanksgiving.  They may be held back until Christmas.  These blossoms are sweet smelling and very graceful in appearance.  Eloise tried the same method with jonquils with excellent results.

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.