846 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



Smock, Lily of the Valley, Lion's Tail, London Pride, Loose- 

 strife, Lupine, Lychnidea, Madwort, Marsh Marigold, Mea- 

 dow-sweet, Milfoil, Milk-Vetch, Mint, Moth-Mullein, Navel- 

 wort, Oxeye Daisyf, Everlasting Peaf, Peony, Pilewort, Pinks, 

 Plantain, Polyanthusf, Primrose, Ragged Robin, Ranunculus, 

 Reed, Rhubarbf, Saxifrage, Skullcap, Snap-dragonf, Sneeze- 

 wort, Sidesaddle Flower, Soapwort, Solomon's Seal, Spider- 

 wort, Spurge, Stonecrop, Sunflower, Swallow-wort, Thrift, 

 Throatwort, Toadflax, Tradescanthia, True-love, Valerian, 

 Vervain, Veronica, Violet, Viper's Bugloss, Wakevobin, and 

 Willow-herb. This class of flowers is propagated, many of 

 them by their roots, according to their nature, as fibrous, 

 bulbous, &c. ; some by layers, suckers, offsets, slips, cuttings ; 

 and a few, such as we have already noticed, by seeds. All 

 sorts bearing seed are occasionally propagated this way, for 

 the purpose of producing new varieties, or to raise finer 

 plants, as those from seed generally prove. The principal 

 obstacle against raising from seed, is, that they are several 

 years before they come to blow, as all bulbous and tuberous- 

 rooted flowers are. The offsets, or parting of the roots, are 

 planted in spring or autumn, taking care that each piece 

 separated has some fibres of the root: this is usually done in 

 September; and the slip of the root will itself flower the 

 ensuing summer: if done in spring, it should precede the 

 shooting of the stalks. 



Bulbous and Tuberous-rooted Flowers, viz. Aconites, Ama- 

 ryllis, Anemone, Asphodel, Bulbocodium, Colchicum, Corn- 

 flag, Crown Imperial, Cyclamen, Daffodil, Fritillaria, Fumi- 

 tory, Hyacinth, Iris, Jonquil, Narcissus, Pancratiums, Poly- 

 anthus Narcissus, Ranunculus, Saffron, Sisyrinchium, Snow- 

 drop, Squill, Star of Bethlehem, Tuberoses, and Tulips. To 

 raise these, they should be sown in boxes about three feet 

 long, two wide, and six inches deep, filled with light rich 

 earth, about the middle of August, or September, and setting 

 them in a sunny sheltered place, under cover. Sowings may 

 take place also in March or April, removing the boxes in May 

 to a place where they may have only the morning sun. Thin 

 them a little if they come up thick ; and, when the stalks die, 

 put on half an inch of fine fresh mould; and after the decay 

 of the leaf next summer, they must be planted out in nursery- 

 beds, two or three inches asunder, according to their nature ; 

 and some will blow the following year, as the Anemone and 

 Ranunculus, &c. though the Hyacinth will be four or five, 

 and the Tulip, seven or eight, first. These must be removed 

 from the nursery-bed to another, as soon as their tops are 

 decayed, and planted at six inches' distance; and ever after 

 treated as blowing plants. Keep them very clear of weeds, 

 particularly the seedlings ; which protect in severe weather 

 from frost, or heavy rain, by mats and hoops. These flowers 

 are easily multiplied by offsets, which are small, but in 

 other respects like the parent, whether that be bulbous or 

 tuberous : the offsets should be separated from the main root 

 at the time they are taken up, which should be done in dry 

 weather. The general culture, is to take them up annually, 

 soon after they have flowered ; when their leaves and stalks 

 turn yellow and decay, then the root is at rest, and its fibres 

 die. When first taken up, lay them covered in dry earth for 

 a few days, and clean and harden them in the sun ; after 

 which, they must be stored in a dry place till wanted : damp 

 is apt to rot them. Autumn-flowering bulbs are to be taken 

 up in May, if their leaves are decayed, Spring-flowering 

 bulbs should be replanted in September and October; those 

 of the summer in October or November; and those of autumn 

 in July or August. The scaly bulbs, as Lilies, &c. should 

 not be kept out of the ground above a month or six weeks. 

 Those that flower jn summer may be put in the ground at , 



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

 new year, but not later than February, to obtain a succession 

 of bloom. If any are put in at the end of February, or begin- 

 ning of March, they should remain two years for increase. 



The soil that best suits bulbous and tuberous-rooted flowers, 

 is a sandy loam ; but most of'the sorts are not very nice. The 

 ground for them should, however, be well dug, that their 

 fibres may shoot freely, and wet be completely drained from 

 them, when much of it falls. This work should be done a 

 week before planting, that the ground may settle. In a light 

 soil, roots of the Ranunculus have been known to strike a 

 yard deep, which may admonish, that in a clay bottom it is 

 proper to lay a body of stones about eighteen inches deep, 

 that too much moisture may not be detained to sicken the 

 roots. The depth at which bulbs should be planted, must 

 be according to their size, three or four inches deep, from 

 their top. Tubers also according to their size ; Anemones 

 and Ranunculuses at two or two and a half inches, &c. Some 

 bulbs will come up at even a foot below the ground, as Crown 

 Imperials, &c. Their proper disposition is either in beds of 

 from three or four feet and a half wide, for the curious sorts ; 

 or in patches, to form clusters of three, four, or five, agree- 

 able to the room they require. There should be only one in. 

 a place of the White or Orange Lily, Crown Imperial, and 

 such-like large bulbs. In beds, the fancy sorts of bulbs, and 

 tubers, may be set in rows, eight or nine inches asunder, and 

 from five to seven inches in the rows, according to their size. 

 The distance of four inches apart is, however, by some florists, 

 thought sufficient for Anemones and Ranunculuses; but 

 more room is desirable where a strong bloom is required. 

 Hyacinths should be planted at seven or eight, though they 

 are more commonly set at six inches. Tulips should be at 

 eight or nine, though six is often all that is allowed them, 

 When planted, if rain does not come in about four or five 

 days, the beds should be watered, to set them growing, that 

 they may not mould or rot. 



Of all flowers or flowering shrubs, the Rose seems to claim 

 precedence. In its varieties it should be planted in all situa- 

 tions ; but the Provence more particularly. To encourage 

 them to bear in the latter part of the year, pulling off the 

 first roses as soon as they begin to decay, is a, mean; but to 

 pull off all the buds, at the usual time of bloom, is a more 

 certain method. A more sure way still, is to top the new 

 shoots towards the end of May, or prune down to two or 

 three eyes. Transplanting Roses in the spring, is a mean to 

 effect a middle bloom ; and, if in a north border, and cool 

 ground, this may be done late in April, or even in May, 

 watering, and, at the same time, pruning short. Early Roses 

 are obtained by being trained against a south wall. The 

 Monthly Rose thus planted, and having the light of a Cucum- 

 ber frame put before it, will sometimes come as early as the 

 end of April, or beginning of May. It is a good method to 

 put moss round the roots of these trees in March, to keep the 

 ground warm, and at the same time moist, which helps to 

 produce both forward and large roses ; in dry and hot situa- 

 tions they often require water. See the article Rosa. 



The Kitchen Garden. 



The following are the proper plants for a Kitchen Garden ; 

 directions for the culture of which will be found under their 

 proper heads in the body of the work. Angelica, Anise ; 

 Artichoke, of the Dutch or Globe, French, and Jerusalem 

 sorts; Asparagus, Balm, Sweet Basil; Bean, Dwarf, French, 

 Kidney, Lisbon, Long-podded, Mazagan, Red-blossomed, 

 Sandwich, Spanish, White-blossomed, and Windsor sorts; 



