RANUNCULUS. Crow-foot. [Ranunculaceae.] A large 

 genus, comprising many annual weeds and aquatics ; 

 but chiefly consisting of hardy herbaceous perennials, some 

 of which are ornamental. It includes the common Crow- 

 foot, the Buttercups of the meadow, as well as the florists' 

 Ranunculus, which have sprung from R. Asiaticus. The 

 cultivation of these beautiful flowers has puzzled florists a 

 good deal. There is, however, one kind of compost in 

 which they will thrive ; and it is worth while to be at some 

 pains to get it. It is obtained thus : Cut from a good loamy 

 pasture the surface sod three inches thick ; let these be piled 

 on one another in ridges for a year, and then sliced down 

 with a sharp spade so as to form a crumbly mass. Turn this 

 over, and pick out all the wire-worms, grubs, and earwigs, 

 and any other living pest you can discover. This done, let 

 it be packed into a heap again, and remain another year, by 

 which time all the herbage will have resolved itself into that 

 kind of mould, which, if separate, we should call vegetable 

 mould. At the end of the second year, let it be again turned, 

 and examined in the same way to clear completely any re- 

 maining intruders. This soil, thus cleared of vermin, will 

 grow the Ranunculus well. Composts of a stimulating and 

 exciting character are used by some for the sake of getting 

 the flowers a little larger ; but there is always the risk of do- 

 ing mischief : and those who have grown them on the stim- 

 ulating plan have occasionally been visited by disease, and 

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