'26 ON THE CULTURE OF THE RANUNCULUS. 



soil IVesli iroiu llie piiiy, and spread it entirely over the bed about liali' 

 an inch deep; this I leave exposed, the rains of autumn and winter 

 wash it down into the soil below before the planting season arrives. 



About the first week in March, when the weather permits, (if not then, 

 as early afterwards as possible) T prepare for planting. I now stir over 

 the surface of the bed, digging it not more than two inches deep. This 

 is of importance to the success of the plants. I have invariably found 

 that when the soil of the bed was lightened up much depth at this time, 

 that a bad bloom (if any) was sure to be the consequence ; but w hen left 

 as firm as it settles to from October to March, and only the surface turned 

 over as above stated, no uncertainty followed, but a regular vigourous 

 bloom was obtained. After the soil is turned over and levelled, I draw 

 drills lengthways of the bed, each about one inch and a half deep, and 

 four inches apart in the rows. I have seven rows in a bed, and the 

 outer rows are six inches from tlie sides. After the rows are drilled, I 

 sprinkle in the bottom of each a small portion of sifted I'oad scrapings of 

 a sandy nature, or river sand. I then place my roots in the drills at one 

 inch and a half apart, and sprinkle a little more sand or gravel over the 

 claws and ciow ns of the roots. In covering the roots, I am very careful 

 to do it with soil of a similar kind not sifted at all, but broken fine by 

 the spade. I cover the crown of the roots exactly one inch and a half 

 deep; this I ascertain by placing a few levelling stakes before covering, 

 and smoothen over the bed with the back of the spade. I have uniformly 

 found, that when the roots were covered as deep as two inches, that a 

 production of roots above the crown of the old roots was the conse- 

 quence, and the old roots perished ; from which circumstance no bloom 

 appeared that season, and the young roots generally decayed before taking 

 up time. Nothing more is required to be done to the beds till the leaves 

 of the plants are all above ground, when on a dry day, the soil which 

 will have been lightened up by occasional frost, and by the leaves and 

 stalks protruding through the surface, must now be pressed veiy closely 

 and firmly by the hand about the roots. In dry weather the beds will 

 require watering. I never pour water upon them in the broad cast 

 manner, for if so applied, the plants are certain to sustain injury. I 

 am always careful to pour it between the rows, and not to touch the 

 foliage. 



Early in May, I begin to shade my beds by an awning spread over a 

 fixed frame, four feet high at the sides, and six at the centre ; this co- 

 vering is taken off at nights, and on all cloudy days, to prevent the plants 

 being drawn up weakly ; and thus render the stems unable to su])port 

 the flowers. When the flowers are expanded, the covering is kept over 

 day and night; and, when required, I have a protection for one or both 

 .sides so as to .screen from the injury of either sun or rain. 



