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a mat, in an airy dry place, where there is not much sun, being 

 spread out in a thin manner. When they are become quite dry, the 

 remainder of the earth should be rubbed off them, and they may be 

 put up in bags or boxes, and placed in a situation where they can- 

 not be injured by vermin. The roots should not be too much parted 

 where they are intended to flower strongly, and each part should be 

 furnished with a good eye. Where the taking up has been delayed 

 till the roots begin to make new shoots, it will be too late to remove 

 them that season. 



In planting the roots or sets thus procured, or which have been 

 purchased from the seedsmen, such situalions should be chosen for 

 blowing them in as are free from much moisture, and where the ex- 

 posure is open to the influence of the sun and air, and free from the 

 shade of trees. They will succeed and flower in tolerable perfection, 

 in any soil that is sufficiently light and friable in the mould; but in 

 order to have them blow in the greatest perfection, beds should be 

 prepared with earthy mixtures, made by taking off the surface of 

 such lands as have been long in the state of sward, to the depth of 

 eight or ten inches, where the earth is of the light sandy or hazel 

 mould kind, throwing it up for some time that it may rot and be- 

 come perfectly mellow; when rotten cow-dung, in the proportion of 

 one-third, should be incorporated with it, by having them thrown up 

 together into a heap, and frequently turned over afterwards; the 

 stones and clods being carefully raked out and reduced; but the 

 earth should not be sifted, as it is apt by such means to become too 

 stiff and compact. Some advise the addition of drift or sea-sand, in 

 the quantity of about one-fourth. 



With this earth beds must be formed for the reception of the 

 roots: these should be marked out to the breadth of about three feet 

 and an half, with length sufficient for the quantity of roots, having 

 alleys between them of from a foot to eighteen inches. The pre- 

 pared mould is then to be dug or rilled in to the depth of twelve or 

 sixteen inches, leaving the surfaces of the beds from three to six 

 inches above the common level of the ground, according to the wet- 



O * O 



ness of the soil, giving them a little convexity when there is much 



