Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


TABLE 1.-Number of Growers and Annual Production of Bulbs in
 Florida From 1927-28 to 1939-401.


 Number of Number of
 Year Growers Bulbs Harvested
1927-28 87 58,333,800
1928-29 147 81,954,400
1929-30 179 95,281,600
1930-31 212 128,965,050
1931-32 175 111,468,920
1932-33 100 87,716,000
1933-34 59 96,853,270
1934-35 45 82,002,300
1935-36 17 81,775,000
1936-37 11 94,597,000
1937-38 9 90,723,000
1938-39 11 86,090,000
1939-40 9 88,650,000
 1 Data furnished by the State Plant Board.


Average No. Bulbs
 Per Grower
 670,503
 557,510
 532,299
 608,326
 636,965
 877,160
 1,641,158
 1,822,273
 4,810,294
 8,599,727
 10,080,333
 7,826,363
 9,850,000


 An extensive survey of the commercial narcissus bulb in-
dustry revealed that general cultural practices employed by
growers, with the possible exception of certain phases of fertili-
zation, are quite similar. However, it was evident that a great
diversity of opinion exists in regard to many points and, doubt-
less, several of these may have a direct effect upon the number
of marketable bulbs produced per acre and consequently upon
the cost of production.
 It is the purpose of this bulletin to report certain experi-
ments relative to: (1) Behavior of the different categories of the
bulbs in regard to the production of mother bulbs, double-nosed
bulbs, single-nosed round bulbs and slabs; (2) effect of size of
planting stock upon the production of marketable bulbs, and, (3)
factors affecting the production of flowers.
 Although the experimental work herein reported deals en-
tirely with Paperwhite, it is thought that much of the experi-
mental evidence presented is applicable to the other varieties
grown commercially.
 CULTURAL AND MARKETING PROCEDURE
 Most growers, with some slight variations, employ approxi-
mately the same cultural practices. These, briefly, are: To dig
the bulbs upon maturity in the late spring and early summer and
immediately transport them to the storage shed. After they
have been in storage for several weeks and become completely
dry and cured they are cleaned and graded, sized, counted and
placed in the packing case. The remaining stock is planted back
in the field. This consists of mother bulbs and slabs of all sizes