DEO.] FLOWER GARDEN. 609 



cember or early in January, will generally happen about the latter 

 end of February, earlier or later, according to the temperature of 

 the weather and the care taken of the frame, refresh them occasion- 

 ally with gentle waterings, and give them air at every favorable op- 

 portunity ; but be sure to keep the glasses close in very cold weather, 

 and well covered at night ; observing, also, as the sun gets powerful, 

 to screen the plants from its mid-day influence, which sometimes 

 would in one hour destroy the whole. 



As the spring advances, more and more air must be admitted, and 

 on fine days the plants totally exposed, except to a scorching sun, 

 so as to have them by the latter end of April, or as soon as the 

 smart night frosts are over, so hardened as to bear the open air night 

 and day ; observing to keep them regularly watered, and to give them 

 the advantage of fine warm showers of rain, when such happen in 

 due time. 



This kind of management is to be continued till the roots are 

 matured, always taking care to protect the plants by a screen of 

 hurdles or thin bass-mats laid over the frame from the too powerful 

 influence of the sun, but never keeping this covering over them 

 longer than necessary. Their maturity will be known by the foliage 

 becoming brown, dry, and nearly consumed, which generally hap- 

 pens in the middle States towards the latter end of June, or early in 

 July. 



The speediest and safest method of taking up these small roots, is 

 to pare off the earth three inches deep, having previously picked off 

 the dried leaves and any other extraneous matter that may be found 

 on the bed. The earth and roots thus collected are to be thrown 

 into a fine wire sieve that will not permit the smallest roots to pass 

 through it, which is to be worked in a large vessel or tub of water 

 nearly filled : the earthy parts will dissolve and wash away and the 

 roots remain in the sieve, which may be easily picked from the 

 stones, &c. The upper rim of the sieve must at all times be held 

 above the surface of the water, otherwise some of the small roots 

 will float over and be lost. The roots are then to be dried and pre- 

 served, as directed for the large roots on pages 407 and 408, till the 

 latter end of September or early in October, when they are to be 

 planted and managed as on pages 564 and 565 ; observing that they 

 (being small) may be planted somewhat closer than the large roots, 

 and will not require to be covered quite so deep. 



The ensuing season several of the largest roots will flower, espe- 

 cially the ranunculuses, and all of them the third year, at which 

 time you should carefully mark such as are worthy of being pre- 

 served ; the others may be planted in small clumps in the warm bor- 

 ders of the garden and pleasure-grounds, there to take chance. The 

 valuable kinds must be subsequently increased by offsets. 



Those who desire to raise these plants upon a small scale, may 

 sow the seeds in boxes, large pots, or garden pans, of good compost, 

 observing to have the bottoms of the boxes, previous to their being 

 filled, bored with several auger holes, which are to be covered with 

 shells or the like, to suffer any extra moisture to pass away, freely. 

 But the former method is much more preferable. 



