242 THE FLORIST. 



for at the very onset my efforts were directed to the exhibition-table 

 of a long- since defunct society held in Walworth ; and I at starting, 

 perhaps luckily, hit the mark. Season after season did I test my 

 growth with that of contemporary exhibitors of the metropolis. I 

 aspired to something more ; and the floral records of the past few 

 years tell the (to me) pleasing tale of battles fought and victories 

 won. This preface is simply dotted down that my friends may hold 

 with greater confidence the routine I have long followed and now 

 publicly recommend. To a country grower much of the labour 

 here enumerated as actually necessary to me can doubtless be dis- 

 pensed with ; but I, who have had to contend against an atmosphere 

 closely allied to that of mid-London, have found the full benefit of 

 this "ground work" in the superstructure, by a development of colour, 

 purity, and size which but few metropolitan cultivators have succeeded 

 in obtaining ; and although somewhat irrelevant, it is no boasting 

 when I assert that, at my humble garden, situate in a low, damp, 

 and clayey locality, and but three miles and a half from St. Paul's, 

 for colour and vigour few of my country friends have equalled, and 

 none surpassed me. Pansies, Pinks, Picotees, Carnations, Tulips, 

 Roses, and Dahlias, have each and every one of them come under 

 my care, and with a very general degree of success. All this is due 

 to one important fact, viz. that I have grown them, leaving nothing 

 undone that could in the least promote full development. But to 

 the Tulip. 



In the selection of the site, let the bed run north and south, if 

 possible. Mark it out 4 feet 3 inches wide, and of a length to suit 

 the extent of the collection to be grown. My bed consists of one 

 hundred rows, and giving each row a distance of 6 inches, the entire 

 bed measures 50^ feet. Let all the soil be thrown out to the full 

 depth of 2 feet below the ground level, and a further alley down the 

 centre of 12 inches wide by 12 inches deep ; fill this alley with brick 

 rubbish or other similar draining material, giving it a slight inclina- 

 tion and an outlet. This will secure perfect drainage, a condition of 

 the greatest moment. Immediately on the drainage, and covering 

 the entire surface of the bottom, place a layer of partly-decayed stable 

 manure, to the thickness of 6 inches ; on this, after well treading 

 down, fill in the soil or compost to a level with the surrounding 

 ground. As respects the soil or compost much might be said. Mine 

 was naturally of a heavy, tenacious character ; but by thoroughly 

 turning, and with large mixtures of Wanstead loam, three and four 

 year old stable manure, silver-sand, and leaf-mould, but little of the 

 original remains ; and these form the ,staple of my medium for the 

 certain production of my favourites. The soil is thrown out every 

 year to be well aired ; and to compensate for annual wear and tear, 

 I add an occasional barrowful of rich old Carnation compost, maiden 

 loam, leaf-mould, &c., at all times avoiding aught that may " be poor 

 or seem poor." Every third year I go down to the lower stratum of 

 manure, replacing it with fresh, and well incorporating the old with 

 the superincumbent soil. Compost similarly constituted forms the 

 mass to fill in with when the boards are fixed, the latter being 



