76 ON THE CULTURE OV THE TULIP. 



turbed with facility except when at least moderately, if not nearly, 

 dry ; independent of which, it must be found most inconvenient 

 to plant (as very many persons do) a bed of several hundred roots 

 in wet, heavy weather. I judge it, therefore, of much advantage 

 to avail myself of the earliest time above stated, if the weather be 

 fine. 



Dibble, or Dibber, as it is termed. — The. best that I have ever 

 seen or heard of is one which I and several friends make use of, 

 which is made of block tin, about 6 inches in depth, 3 inches in 

 diameter across the top, nan-owing to the bottom to about 2 inches, 

 with a mark or piece of solder outside 4 inches upwards from the 

 bottom. This has a strong handle projecting over the top, suffi- 

 ciently circular and large to be convenient to the hand, and each 

 extremity soldered well on the outside, near the top or upper rim 

 of the dibble. The material advantage derivable from this dibble 

 is at once explained, and easily and quickly comprehended, inas- 

 much as by this method the bed (being well settled and prepared 

 for planting, and marked out for the number ef rows intended) is 

 not at all compressed and disturbed, because by gently pressing 

 and turning this dibble round until the mark above described 

 reaches the surface of the bed, every hole is made the precise and 

 ecpial depth (4 inches) throughout the bed, sufficiently large at 

 top to admit of the hand to place the root regularly at the bottom ; 

 the dibble, as described, being smaller at bottom than top, retains 

 the earth, which is quickly turned out into large garden-pots, or 

 on a bed or border close at hand, and then afterwards the roots, 

 when in, can be covered, and the holes filled with the same soil as 

 was taken out, raking the bed over lightly and regularly with a 

 fine rake or spade, to settle the earth firmly and properly. This 

 is, bv all who have seen and used it, admitted to be the most per- 

 fect and convenient system. It is also an additional advantage to 

 dib the holes a week previous to planting, by which means the soil 

 is well exposed and sweetened, and the bulbs are afterwards less 

 liable to the attack of insects. Previous to putting in the roots, 

 it is a great advantage, and universally adopted by those initiated 

 in the treatment of Tulips, to put a table-spoonful of " sharp sand" 

 in the hole. This is the surest preventive of the attack of the 

 earthworm, or any insect whatever, and preserves many a sickly 

 or damaged bulb from rotting. 



