TRANSPLANTING BULBS. 41 



they have done flowering. When the leaves and 

 stems decay, dig them neatly up, in dry weather, 

 with your garden fork; take the offsets carefully 

 from the main root ; spread them out to dry on a 

 mat, and put them in a cool, dry place, to plant 

 again in September. 



The common bulbs, such as Snowdrops, Crocuses, 

 &c., may be left two or three years untouched ; 

 but at the end of that period take up, to sepa- 

 rate the offsets and small roots from the mother 

 plants. You can replant them immediately, taking 

 care to thin the clumps, and seperate each root six 

 inches from its neighbor, that they may rise healthy, 

 and throw out fine blooms. 



Narcissuses, Jonquils, and Irises, may also re- 

 main two years untouched ; but if annually taken 

 up, they will flower finer, and for these reasons : 



By taking up your bulbs as soon as their leaves 

 and stems decay, it not only allows you to seperate 

 the offsets, which weaken the parent bulb, but it 

 prevents their receiving any damage from long 

 drought, or the equally destructive moisture of 

 heavy rains, which would set them growing again 

 before their time, and exhaust them. The two or 

 three months in which they are laid by contributes 

 to their strength, by allowing them that period of 

 complete rest. 



The autumn-flowering bulbs, such as the Colchi- 

 cums, the Autumnal Crocus, the yellow Autumnal 

 Narcissus, &c., should be taken up in May or early 

 in June, when they are at rest. Transplant them 

 now if you wish to remove them; part the offsets, 

 and plant them six inches apart. If you keep them 

 out of the ground, put them in a dry, shady place 

 till the middle of July or August, when you must 

 plant them again, to blow in the autumn. 



