£40 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



seven rows, — pressing them into the soil. Over the bulbs put fully three inches 

 of the compost above the crown, and leave them to their fate. With the 

 exception of the centre row, each of the others should be in pau's or com- 

 plementary colours ; for instance, if the centre row be dark blue, — yellow, dark 

 red ; light blue, — dark red, yellow, dark blue ; those on each side of it should h& 

 a pair in harmonious contrast with it ; the next also ahke ; and so on through- 

 out the bed. 



1689. The proper season for planting is October, and the operation should 

 take place in dry open weather, in the first half of the month. As soon as 

 they begin to come through the ground, it will be well to cover them with 

 any loose litter at hand. The period of flowering may be retarded by shading 

 them from the sun ; but the bulbs are weakened by so doing. As soon as the 

 leaves turn yellow, and die halfway down, the bulbs may be lifted and laid by 

 the heels ; that is, laid on their sides in dry sandy soil, to ripen, for a fort- 

 night, when they may be taken up, the leaves screwed ofif, the roots trimmed 

 off, and the bulbs put into a cool shady place for two or three weeks, when 

 they maybe cleared of their loose skin- and fibre, and the offsets and all split 

 roots separated from the bulbs. 



1690. These offsets and split roots may be treated in the same way as beds 

 of full-grown bulbs for show, planting them closer, and putting the whole of 

 each sort together. As the young plants come into bloom, pick off all the 

 buds but one or two at the top ; when they die down, treat them as directed 

 for the beds. In this way the offsets will, in due time, increase to the full size. 

 The beds once made, only require trenching once a year, and the eight 

 inches at the top dressed with a thick layer of thoroughly decomposed cow- 

 dung, sandy loam, very fibrous and soft : the top spit of a pasture-field which 

 has been lying two years in preparation, turned occasionally, and kept free 

 from weeds and exposed to the action of the atmosphere, does excellently in 

 the early stages, mixing it with sand if too stiff naturally. When the roots 

 are well established, add one-third leaf-mould and a little decomposed 

 manure at each shifting, taking care that the drainage is kept open, and 

 giving plenty of water when in full growth. 



1691. For seedlings sow the seed in October ; when well up, prick out th& 

 plants into shallow pans, placing them in a cold pit. In spring, plant out on a 

 north border, prepared with fresh loam as described, nine inches apart : as 

 they come into flower in the blooming season, mark the best sorts, and ifv 

 September take them up and treat as before directed. 



1692. As a general rule, all bulbs flourish best in light rich soils, and thejr 

 do not like too close contact with fresh manure. The most adhesive clay may 

 be made suitable for their growth by a proper mixture of fine sand and leaf- 

 mould. Select sound bulbs, but do not reject those which are moist and par- 

 tially unsound ; if 3'ou are certain that the flowers are worth keeping, cut 

 out the unsound places, dry the surface in the air, and then plant them. 

 The bulbs of hyacinths should be buried about four inches under the surface : 

 about this depth they are generally secure from the effects of frost ; but in un.- 



