110 ON RAISING RANUNCULUSES FROM SEED. 



cucumbers and melons ; the soil should have been previously 

 taken out, three feet deep, and spread thin upon the ground till it 

 has been perfectly frozen throughout, in order to destroy any ver- 

 min it may have contained. When the pit is filled up again with 

 the frozen lumps of earth, it should remain till the whole mass has 

 thawed, and subsided to its pristine bulk, or nearly so ; its surface 

 should then be made perfectly smooth and even, and the seed 

 sown upon it with the utmost regularity, in such a quantity as 

 nearly to cover it ; the glasses should be placed over it imme- 

 diately, and the frame kept closely covered with them, for two or 

 three days, till the seed begins to swell and soften ; a little light 

 earth should then be sifted upon, through a fine sieve , but not 

 sufficient to cover it, this should be repeated once or twice a 

 week, till the greater part of the seed disappears : it is proper to 

 remark that such seeds as happen to be covered deeper than the 

 thickness of a half-crown piece, will never vegetate, and must, of 

 course, inevitably perish. It is necessary that the seed be kept 

 moderately moist by gentle watering with soft water that has been 

 exposed to the sun, but too much moisture is nevertheless in- 

 jurious. 



About the time that the plants begin to appear, it is requisite 

 to stir the surface of the earth with a pin, just sufficiently to admit 

 air, and give liberty to the young plants to pass easily through; 

 this operation should be very carefully performed to prevent 

 breaking off the fibres, or raising and leaving any of the plants 

 out of the earth, because one hour's sun upon such would cer- 

 tainly destroy them. 



After the plants are all up, and their two interior leaves appear, 

 more air must be given, by having hurdles or lattice work, sub- 

 stituted for the glasses ; waterings must be regularly continued in 

 the manner before described, when the long continuance of dry 

 weather renders it necessary ; but fine warm showers of rain are 

 always preferable when they happen in due time. 



This kind of management is to be continued till the roots are 

 matured, and fit to take up, which is known by the foliage becom- 

 ing brown, dry, and nearly consumed. The roots are to be dried 

 and preserved in the usual way, and to be planted the same time 

 as large ones in the autuin, the greater part, or such as have 

 two or more claws, will blow in tolerable perfection the following 

 summer. J- g« s. 



