CHAP. Vm.] BULBS AND TUBERS. 229 



only at their roots, but all over their leaves, 

 with a fine-rosed watering-pot or garden engine. 

 They should afterwards be watered three times 

 a day, and occasionally with soap-suds or 

 manured water? that is, water in which manure 

 has been steeped. Thus treated, the plants will 

 grow six or eight feet high, and their flowers 

 will not only be produced in great abundance, 

 but they will be of enormous size, and very 

 brilliant in their colours. The best chrysanthe- 

 mums in London are at Chandler's Nursery, 

 Vauxhall. 



Bulbs and Tubers. — The most interesting 

 bulbs in a flower-garden are, the tulip, the 

 hyacinth, and the crocus ; and the most inte- 

 resting tubers are, the ranunculus, the anemone, 

 and the dahlia. There are, how T ever, many 

 other flowers of both kinds hiohlv deserving of 

 cultivation. The culture of all bulbs is nearly 

 the same ; but that of the tuberous-rooted 

 flowers differs in different plants. 



Bulbs are generally planted in autumn to 

 flower in spring ; and are taken up when their 

 leaves begin to wither, to be kept out of the 

 ground a month or two in complete repose 

 before they are replanted. They are generally 

 propagated by offsets, which are produced by 

 the side of the old bulb ; or, rather, by the side 

 of the new bulb, which is formed every year to 

 supply the place of the old one, which wastes 

 away. The new r bulb sometimes forms beside 

 the old one, and sometimes below T it or above it; 

 and this is one of the principal reasons why 

 some kinds of bulbs are taken up and replanted 

 every year ; as, when this is not attended to, 



