468 



THE CULTURE OF THE TULIP. 



manure injures the shape and colour of the 

 flowers. All stones, of any size, should be 

 removed, to prevent distortion of the stems, 

 or, what will be the same thing, the earth 

 that immediately covers the roots, may be 

 sifted through a coarse sieve or screen. 

 The beds in which Tulips are planted 

 should not be more than three or four feet 

 wide, and the bulbs should be placed about 

 six inches apart, in rows, which, in order 

 that the earth may be freely stirred, should 

 be about eight inches asunder. 



Some florists prefer them as wide as 

 eight or nine inches apart each way, and, 

 certainly, when there is plenty of ground, 

 this ample space will conduce to the strength 

 of the roots and flowers. Blooming roots 

 should be covered to the depth of about 

 five inches from the base of the bulb, and 

 smaller roots less. In spring, the earth 

 should be occasionally stirred, to promote 

 the growth of the flowers, and destroy 

 weeds, taking care not to injure the roots, 

 stems or leaves. When the bed comes 

 into bloom, it will, if the collection be 

 good, most amply repay this care, were it 

 ten times as great, by the extraordinary va- 

 riety and beauty of the flowers, which, in- 

 stead of falling in a day or two, as is the 

 case with many fine flowers, will last in 

 perfection for a week or, with care, more 

 than a fortnight. 



Tulip amateurs — in order to bring the 

 flowers to the greatest size and purity of 

 colour, (both of which objects are, to some 

 extent, hindered by the unshaded rays of 

 the sun,) and, at the same time, to shield 

 them from storms of wind, rain, &c, which 

 might prove very injurious — cover the 

 show-beds with any kind of sheeting, fas- 

 tened to a wooden frame. This frame, 

 which slopes either to one or both sides, is 

 of the simplest construction, — sometimes 

 just high enough to cover the flowers, and 



sometimes sufficiently high and wide for a 

 party of visitors to walk underneath. A 

 bed thus covered will last in perfection for 

 about three weeks ; and those who have 

 not seen a bed so treated, can form no idea 

 of the gorgeousness of the display. It is to 

 be observed, however, that this shading 

 from the sun and rain of heaven, materially 

 weakens the roots, and should not be re- 

 sorted to except when the party has a du- 

 plicate bed left uncovered, more especially 

 as there will be a most beautiful show for 

 a week or ten days without it. 



Immediately after flowering, care should 

 be taken to break off the seed pods, unless 

 seed be wanted, in which case, one or two 

 of the best may be left ; but this materially 

 weakens the roots. And as soon as the 

 flowering stems have withered two or three 

 inches down, the roots should be lifted and 

 placed in some shaded and airy place to 

 harden, or, what will do better, they may 

 be laid down in rows just as taken up, and 

 covered with a little dry earth, — care be- 

 ing taken in all cases, where the sorts are 

 named, to keep the tallies between the dif- 

 ferent varieties. 



After the bulbs are thus dried and har- 

 dened, they should be freed from stems, 

 fibres, and loose skins, and put up accord- 

 ing to their kinds in paper bags, which may 

 be hung up or placed on a shelf in any dry, 

 cool room, till time for planting, which may 

 be done, as before described, any time be- 

 fore winter sets in. If the time of lifting is 

 delayed till the stem is wholly withered, 

 they may be thoroughly cleaned and put 

 past in the paper bags, as they are taken 

 out of the ground, provided they are lifted 

 in dry weather ; but it is much preferable 

 to lift them earlier, as above directed, as 

 they will bloom both stronger and finer 

 than if lifted late. It is, however, to be 

 remarked, that Tulips will do very well, to 



