OCT.] 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



563 



One-third sea or river sand ; one-third fresh sound earth ; one- 

 fourth rotten cow-dung at least two years old ; and one-twelfth of 

 earth of decayed leaves. 



The fresh sound earth of the compost should be of the best quality 

 that the garden or adjacent country affords, and entirely free from 

 noxious vermin of every description. These ingredients should be 

 well mixed and incorporated a considerable time before wanted, and 

 about ten days previous to planting, the bed should be filled up with 

 the compost to about three inches above the level of the path on the 

 south or front side, and seven inches on the north side, so as to form 

 a regular slope or inclination towards the sun. 



On planting the roots the surface of the bed should be covered 

 with fresh sandy earth about one inch thick, raked perfectly smooth 

 and even, and have the exact situation for every bulb marked on it, 

 as follows : 



R B 



B B W B B W B B 



W R BWR BWR B W 

 RBWRBWRBWRB 



W R B W R B W R B W 

 RBWRBWRBWRB 



WR BWR BWR BW 



This plan, on minute investigation, will appear superior to any 

 other that can be devised for simplicity and an elegant and advan- 

 tageous display of the colors ; each bulb, those of the outside rows 

 excepted, will be in the centre of a hexagon, and the whole at equal 

 distances from each other. The width of the surface of the bed is to 

 be four feet, the six rows along it eight inches asunder, and the out- 

 side rows each four inches from the sides of the bed ; consequently 

 the space between the centre of each bulb will be about nine inches 

 and a quarter. The letters R, B, W, denote the color of the flower 

 to be placed there, viz: Red, Blue, or White. Under these three 

 heads all hyacinths may be comprehended, except a few sorts of yel- 

 low, which may be classed with the whites. 



On planting the hyacinths a little clean sand should be placed 

 underneath, and likewise upon the roots, to prevent the earth ad- 

 hering too close to them; the whole are then to be covered with 

 sound, fresh, sandy earth, from three to four inches deep, according 

 to the size of the bulbs ; when this is completed, the bed will be 

 about six or seven inches above the level of the walk in front, or on 

 the south side, and about ten or eleven inches on the north side ; it 

 should be supported all around with a strong frame of thick boards 

 or with brickwork ; this frame should be six inches or more higher 

 all around than the surface, and of course sloping towards the froiit 



