152 FLORA HISTORICA. 



be sufficient to plant about eighteen bulbs. Having 

 prepared the spots, lay little patches of sand where 

 each bulb is to be placed ; then gently cover them 

 with sand, or a very light sandy soil, forming little 

 pyramids over each bulb : after this lay the com- 

 post gently over the clump, so as to cover the bulbs 

 about three inches in depth ; and the spot should be 

 rather higher than the general surface of the border, 

 so that superfluous water may run off by the convex 

 shape of the clump. The brown coat of the bulb 

 should be carefully taken off when it is placed in 

 the ground, but the root must not be injured in 

 performing this operation. 



The time for taking up the bulbs will be shown 

 by the decay of the stem and the leaves : they 

 should then be placed in a dry, airy, shaded situa- 

 tion, until the season for planting: their outer skins 

 must by no means be disturbed until the moment 

 they are to be covered with earth. 



The dwarf early-flowering Tulip is the kind 

 used for forcing in pots, and these prosper better in 

 earth than when placed on water, although the 

 latter mode is frequently adopted, but the bulbs 

 uniformly perish after having flowered in water. 



