368 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



flower stems rise to two feet high, or even more, the 

 flowers have as much substance as the florists' varieties, 

 and the colours are very rich. Flower-lovers plant 

 these grand Tulips near the front of the mixed borders, 

 and generally leave them in the ground the whole year, 

 although some prefer to take them up and dry them 

 after the foliage has ripened off, replanting in early 

 autumn. When Tulips are thus taken up it will be 

 found that in most cases the old bulb has decayed, but 

 that a new one, nearly or quite as large, has formed 

 within the scales. There may also be offsets, which 

 will require two years' culture before they are large 

 enough to flower. Flower-lovers need not feel under 

 any cultural obligation to replant the Tulips every 

 year, but they should take care that if the borders 

 containing them are dug in autumn or winter, when 

 the bulbs are dormant, a careful workman acts, and 

 that he replants the clumps as he proceeds. 



Planting. Early and late Tulips alike are best planted 

 in October or November, in friable, deeply dug soil. A 

 light dressing of well-decayed % manure may be dug in 

 ten or twelve inches deep, and supplemented with 

 bone flour at the rate of a quarter of a pound per 

 square yard ; this may also be dug well in. The plants 

 are likely to do better in heavy soil than in light, 

 provided it is made friable, as they will appreciate the 

 moisture such ground holds. Leaf-mould, sand, road 

 grit, and old hotbed manure may all be used to im- 

 prove heavy land. Cow manure may be used freely 

 in light ground. The bulbs should be planted in clumps 

 of from three to twelve, according to means and space ; 

 and the components of the various clumps should be 

 about nine inches apart. The bulbs may be covered 

 with three inches of soil. 



