GARDEN FLOWERS. 37 



The time for taking up the roots is June, when the leaf 

 and stalk are withered ; for then the roots cease to grow for 

 a month or six weeks. Take them up in dry weather, 

 spread in an airy place out of the sun for about a week, 

 then clear from earth, and store in bags or boxes. 



In propagating by seed, sow from the best single or semi- 

 double flowers. Double flowers produce none. 



The time for planting is October, or early in November, 

 and the plants will come into flower in May or June. 



Make the beds in a sheltered part of your garden, facing 

 the south ; remove the old soil from the beds to the depth 

 of sixteen or eighteen inches. If it is low and swampy, with 

 a wet, clay bottom, drain well, and do not dig so deep ; if 

 high and dry, or with a sandy or gravelly subsoil, you may 

 go a little deeper. Then put in from four to six inches of 

 unmixed cowdung, such as might be gathered up where 

 cows feed. Upon this layer of dung, place as much good 

 fresh loam as will raise the beds to their former level, or a 

 little higher. During winter, cover the beds with an old 

 frame, or with leaves and boughs. 



Any common, moderately light earth suits the Anemone ; 

 overmoist and stiff soils rot the roots in winter. If neces- 

 sary to make a soil, take maiden loam from the surface of a 

 pasture, the top spit, turf and all ; to every load of this add 

 one of cowdung, and half a load of sea or sharp sand : blend 

 the whole together, and form it into a ridge, in which let it 

 remain a year, at least, turning it over once in two or three 

 months. But, in default of pasture-earth, a good compost 

 may be formed of common light garden soil and rotted cow- 

 dung, adding to every load of the former half a load of the 

 latter, and about a quarter of a load of sharp sand ; and of 

 either of the above composts the bed is to be formed. Make 

 it about twelve or fifteen inches in depth, and three feet and 

 a half broad. 



