376 BRECK'S XEW BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



by a simple course of cultivation ; the varieties in rny 

 possession being probably as fine as can be obtained from 

 any collection in Europe, having been imported, a few 

 years since, at great expense. 



The finer sorts of Tulips should always be planted in 

 beds, containing a considerable quantity of bulbs ; but 

 they look very well when disposed in small groups, in the 

 borders, particularly the more common sorts. 



The proper season for planting is in October. If kept 

 out longer, they are somewhat weakened, and will not 

 flower so finely. 



A bed for two hundred and fifty Tulips, should be thir- 

 ty-six feet long by four wide. The bulbs to be planted 

 in rows, seven inches apart, and seven inches distant from 

 each other. The ground being marked out, the soil 

 should be taken out to the depth of twenty inches. The 

 rich surface mould should be first taken off and placed 

 by itself, while the subsoil must be taken off out of the 

 way. I have found the best soil for Tulips to be that 

 made of decayed turf, from an old pasture, well incorpo- 

 rated with old, thoroughly-decomposed cow-manure, with 

 a little sand, if the soil be adhesive ; for the Tulip and 

 most bulbs delight in a loose soil. The exact quantity of 

 these three materials is laid down by some florist as one 

 third of each, but I have not been so nice. My mould is 

 light enough without much sand, and the quantity of ma- 

 nure is very small, not more than one-eighth. When 

 highly manured, the flowers will make a ranker growth, 

 but it is injurious to the flower. The mould or soil 

 should be prepared beforehand, and frequently turned to 

 receive the influence of the air and sun When the bed 

 has been dug out as directed, the cavity is to be filled 

 with this compost, a week or ten days before planting. 

 My practice is to fill it even with the surface of the 

 ground. This, when settled, will be the right depth to 



