Dry-stored tulip bulbs cultivar ‘Apeldoorn’ require a period of 12 weeks at 5°C to ensure satisfactory shoot elongation and flowering during subsequent growth at higher temperatures (17–20°C). To develop a test on this special precooling, changes in the free-amino-acid content of the shoots of bulbs dry-stored at 5°C during 15 weeks were studied. They were compared with changes occurring at 17°C. The 4-methylene-glutamine content per gram dry weight increased up to 15 weeks in both cooled and non-cooled bulbs, indicating the storage duration. The asparagine content per gram dry weight fluctuated around a constant level at 17°C storage, but decreased rapidly during the first weeks of the 5°C treatment. This level remained low during the rest of the cold period, indicating 5°C cooling. The ratio of the 4-methylene-glutamine content to the asparagine content increased considerably with the duration of the 5°C treatment, but to a much lesser extent at 17°C. This change was independent of the starting date of cooling. It is concluded that this ratio is a rough indicator for the duration of the special precooling.