310 OF FLOWERS. SKCT. XVIIT. 



hardly) touch the water, which should be soft, and 

 replenished so oiten as to keep it up to the bottom 

 of the bulbs. Let it be completely changed about 

 once a week ; and if a bit of nitre, the size of a pea, 

 be put in each time, it will strengthen the blow, and 

 brighten it 



Though bulbous flowers are propagated plentifully 

 by root offsets, yet some are increased from little 

 bulbs .o *mecl on the sides or tops of the stalks, as 

 the moly tribe, and the bulbiferous lily. These should 

 Ke. taken off in August, dried a little in the sun, and 

 then planted in nursery beds as offsets. 



Bulbs propagated from offsets, produce a flower 

 exactly like the parent ; and varieties are only to be 

 obtained from seed, which never produces flowers 

 quite like the original the seed came from. 



Let seed be saved only from choice flowers, be 

 thorough ripe, and being hardened a little in the sun, 

 may be sowed soon after, in pots, or boxes, of good 

 light earth. See page SO 4-. Persons of leisure and 

 curiosity, would do well to amuse themselves in this 

 way, that we may not be so much indebted to fo- 

 reigners, for a supply of new flowers. 



An observation may be here made, that the same 

 bulb (as is often thought) does not always continue; 

 for some arc renewed every year, as the tulip ; and 

 others the second, third, &c. ; so that when taken up 

 to remove offsets, the principal bulb of the tulip, 

 &c. which is (ommonly esteemed the old one, is, in 

 fact, a new formed one, though (perhaps) not less in 

 size, and It may be bigger. 



As many SHRUBS (i. e. woody plants) are propa- 

 gated in a view principally to their flowers, they will 

 properly enough be considered a little here, as to 

 their propagation. See section 9. 



