JAN.] FLOWER GARDEN. 95 



roots are kept much longer out of the ground, they will blow very 

 poorly. If they are to be planted in beds, let them be made three 

 or four feet wide, raised two or three inches, somewhat rounding, 

 that they may throw off the redundant wet of heavy rains, and re- 

 main dry during winter. 



If intended to plant any of the inferior sorts in the borders, in 

 assemblage with other flowers, they may either be planted in a single 

 row towards the front, or some dotted singly, or by three together, 

 to effect a greater variety ; but these flowers, when planted in the 

 borders, make the best appearance in little clumps ; that is, in a circle 

 of about six or eight inches, plant four or five roots, and about from 

 three or four to five or ten feet farther, plant another such clump, 

 and so proceed, in a varied order, towards the front and middle. 



Observe that hyacinths, tulips, and other hardy bulbs, which, to 

 do them justice, ought to be planted in October, or early in Novem- 

 ber, should have lighter or more shallow covering, in proportion to 

 the length of time they are kept out of ground after that period ; for 

 instance, tulips, which ought to get four inches of light covering in 

 October, will not be able to bear more than three in December, two 

 and a half in January, two in February, and one and a half if kept 

 up till March ; for many of the bulbous kinds become so exhausted 

 by keeping them too long out of the ground, that if planted at the 

 usual depth they have not strength to bear up through it, and ulti- 

 mately perish. However, this partial remedy ought by no means to 

 induce to the keeping of bulbous roots out of ground after their 

 proper season ; but by attending to it, roots may be preserved that 

 would otherwise perish, and which, by planting in due time the suc- 

 ceeding season, may produce tolerably good flowers, and an increase 

 of their kinds. 



Be particular never at any season, nor under any circumstance, to 

 give less covering to any kind of a bulbous or tuberous root when 

 planted in the open ground than one inch over the crown or upper 

 part. 



PLANTING CROCUSES AND SNOW-DROPS. 



Any sort of crocuses may still 'be planted if dry, mild weather ; 

 generally planting them along the edges of the flower borders, next 

 the walks, and in flower beds, &c., commonly within five or six inches 

 of the edge, either in a continued row, or dotted in little patches 

 planted about one inch and a half deep : though those designed for 

 the borders appear to greater advantage when disposed in small 

 patches than in any other way. Draw a small circle with your finger, 

 about four or five inches diameter ; in the middle plant one root, and 

 plant three or four round the edge of the circle; about eighteen 

 inches or two or three feet farther make another circle, and plant the 

 roots as above; and so proceed to the end of the border, &c., or you 

 may vary the patches in having some near the edge, and others more 

 towards the middle ; observing, if you have different kinds, to plant 

 each sort separate; and if you plant the first patch with yellow 

 crocuses, plant the next with blue, and so proceed with others of 

 different sorts. 



