236 OF FLOWERS. SECT. XVIII. 



It is not abjolulcly ncceflary to take bulbs and tubers 

 Up every year, as every feeond or third mav do ; but 

 it is the common practice of gardeners to do To, be- 

 caufe it gives an opportunity to remove the offjets for 

 propagation, and the mother bulbs are thus llrengthen- 

 ed, as alio from the renewed foil they meet with by a 

 frefh plantation. Some people fuffer bulbous roots to 

 remain many years without taking up;. but then they 

 cramp and ftarve one another* and arc apt to go off 

 from their original beauty. 



Bulbs and tubers may be either replanted immediately 

 on being taken up, or kept out of ground during their 

 natural periods ot reft ; or for fome forts even longer, 

 as Anemony and Ranunculus, for feveral months. Au- 

 tumn flowering bulbs are to be taken up in May, if their 

 leaves are decayed. 



Spring flowering bulbs mould be rephnted in Sep- 

 tember or Oflober ; thofe ot t\\efu?mncr in Oclober, or 

 November-, and thofe of autumn in July or Augujl. A 

 little before, or after, is not very material ; only when 

 they are put in too foon, the Spring ones come fo for- 

 ward as to be liable to be damaged in fevere winters, 

 and fprings ; and when kept out of the ground too long, 

 the buibs fpend themfelv.es fir ft in making roots. Tha 

 Jcaly bulbs (as lilies) fhould not be kept out of the 

 ground above a month or fix weeks. Thofe that 

 flower in fummer, may be put in the ground at different 

 times, as early and late in autumn, and early in the 

 new year, (not later than February) to obtain a fuc-t 

 cefhon of blow. If any are put in at the end of February 

 or beginning of March, the)' fhould remain two years 

 for increafe. This is a common practice with the 

 anemone and ranunculus ; but when planted in winter* 

 the foil mould be a dry one, or made fo, by digging in a 

 good quantity of fine fea-coal afhes, and coarle, or drift 

 land ; elfe they are apt to rot, if much wet falls, before, 

 they have ftarted iibres, .efpccially when followed by 



fharp 



