304 OF FLOWERS. SECT. XVIIL 



same with the mother plant. Another obstacle against 

 some sorts being -sown is, that they are several years 

 before they come to bear, as all bulbous, and tu- 

 berous rooted flowers. 



The Dutch have made themselves famous by their 

 patience and perseverance in raising bulbs and tubers, 

 and sow every year some of each kind, which pays 

 them well, when they meet with an eminently good 

 flower. A new sort of anemone, auricula, carna- 

 tion, ranunculus, and even a polyanthus, will fre- 

 quently fetch a guinea, and a tulip, or a hyacinth) 

 sometimes ten. 



To raise bulbous and tuberous rooted flowers, 

 they should be sown in boxes (suppose three feet 

 long, two wide, and six inches deep) of light rich 

 earth, about the middle of August or September, 

 and setting them in a sunny sheltered place not un- 

 der cover. Sow anemones and ranunculuses a quar- 

 ter of an inch deep ; irises, colchicums, and cycla- 

 mens, half an inch ; and tulips, frittilleries, and 

 hyacinths, near an inch deep, giving water in a dry 

 time, so as to keep the mould somewhat moist, but 

 not wet. A little hay may be kept over the seeds 

 till the plants appear, which perhaps will be spring 

 with some. Sowings may take place also in March, 

 or April, removing the boxes in May, to where they 

 may have only the morning sun. Thin them a lit- 

 tle if they come up thick, aitd when the stalks die, 

 put on half an inch of fine mould ; and after the de- 

 cay of the leaf next summer, they must be planted 

 out in nursery beds, (latter end of August) 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 first nursery bed to 

 another, (as soon as their tops are decayed) and 



