1833.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



493 



some thousands of pounds sterling. In England 

 I have had the care of tulip bulbs, that were va- 

 lued from five shillings to jive pounds sterling, a 

 single bulb; this is, perhaps, one reason why we 

 bo seldom meet with a choice collection in this 

 country; the first cost being so great, and the time 

 it necessarily takes, to give then) proper attention, 

 is another considerable item with those who have 

 business to attend to, and who have but a small 

 portion of time to spare, in the care and produc- 

 tion of elegant flowers. Nevertheless, there are 

 persons in every city who can afford to spend both 

 time and money in such pursuits; but by not un- 

 derstanding the nature of them, are prevented 

 from making the attempt. In order to do away 

 with this difficulty in part, 1 will engage to give 

 them all the knowledge I have on this subject, 

 which will cost but a trifling sum, compared to 

 the years of time I have been collecting it together. 

 Those persons who are desirous of obtaining a 

 good collection of tulips, should, by all means, 

 make their selection from some of the established 

 seedsmen or nurserymen; for, to trust to the bulbs 

 that are sold every year, at, the auction rooms, in 

 nine cases out of twelve, they would be deceived; 

 therefore it is highly recommendable, to make the 

 selection from persons of established credit, even 

 if the cost is four times as much, rather than to 

 run any hazard. Supposing the bulbs are on 

 hand, the first step is to prepare for planting: the 

 compost should be a mellow light earth, or leaf 

 eoil, (the top spit of an old pasture field,) prefer- 

 ring it rather light, than of a strong binding na- 

 ture, and well rotted stable manure, blending the 

 whole well together. To three wheel- barrow 

 loads of the soil, add one of manure, and so con- 

 tinue on, until there is enough mixed for use. 

 This will be found to be an excellent compost for 

 the growth of the tulip, if it has been thoroughly 

 made. The beds should be four feet in width, 

 and from twenty to thirty feet, more or less, in 

 length; preference should be given to a plat of 

 ground that is well sheltered from the north-west 

 and easterly winds, observing to keep away from 

 the shade of large trees as much as possible. 

 Having decided upon the location, go to work, 

 and throw out the whole of the surface and under 

 soil, to the depth of two and a half feet, taking it 

 away to some convenient place, leaving the bot- 

 tom of the bed nice and level; then look out for 

 some good stable manure, about half rotted, for 

 the purpose of laying at the bottom, about six 

 inches thick; this will leave two feet in depth for 

 the compost; this may appear, to some people, al- 

 together superfluous; nevertheless, it ought to be 

 done, for this reason; the manure will be in an 

 excellent condition for mixing with the soil the 

 succeeding year. I shall here observe, that it is 

 not necessary to prepare a fresh compost every 

 year, alter such an one has been made as here re- 

 commended. If the operator thinks the soil ought 

 to be renewed in some degree the second season, 

 a portion could be taken away from the bed, and 

 replaced with some fresh compost, and so on year 

 after year, never neglecting to place the manure 

 at the bottom of the bed, as before stated: to do 

 this properly, begin at one end, and take out the 

 whole of the eoil, until you come to the bottom of 

 the bed. If it was made four feet in width, take 

 four feet in length; this will leave a trench four 

 feet square, and two and a half feet deep; wheel 



the soil thrown out, to the other end of the bed, in 

 order to finish oil' with. The manure should now 

 be laid at the bottom at the depth proposed; mark 

 off again four feet in length, and place the top spit 

 immediately on the manure, continuing so to do, 

 until you have a similar trench at the other end; 

 this will completely change the compost every 

 year, by bringing the under soil to the surface, 

 which is of great importance — level oil' with the 

 soil which was wheeled to the opposite end of the 

 bed from where the trenching was begun. 



But to return to the planting of the bulbs the 

 first year. I shall suppose the bed or beds are al- 

 ready filled up with the compost a little above the 

 level of the ground; allowing it to settle to the 

 original level: this ought to be done the first week 

 in November; the second week, have the surface 

 of the bed raked perfectly smooth and even; then 

 stretch a line tight and straight the whole length 

 of the bed six inches from the front side, and with 

 a small piece of stick mark off close to the line; 

 remove the line again six inches, and mark off, 

 and so go on, until you have six straight lines the 

 length of the bed; this will leave s>x inches clear, 

 both at the front and back; then mark off across 

 the bed, six inches apart; this will leave the 

 whole of the bed in six inch squares. At the an- 

 gle of each square, or where the lines are crossed, 

 place a handful of sand. If the day is fine, go to 

 work and plant the bulbs immediately, for there is 

 no trusting to the weather, at this season of the 

 year. Place a bulb in the centre of each handful 

 of sand that was put there for this purpose. 

 When the bed is planted, cover them with a com- 

 post similar to that they are to grow in, three inch- 

 es deep; observe to mulch the beds over with 

 leaves or litter, about six or eic;ht inches, before 

 the approach of severe frosts; it is also indispensa- 

 bly necessary to have a light frame built over the 

 bed, for the purpose of fixing upon it a light can- 

 vass, or strong cotton cloth, to shade the flowers 

 from sudden storms of wind, rain, early frost, and 

 particularly the hot sun. In the spring of the 

 year, some tulip growers make use of hoops bent 

 over the beds at regular distances, and throw over 

 bass mats; but a permanent frame would be but 

 a trifling expense, and is much to be preferred. As 

 to the size of the frame, every one can suit their 

 own taste in the dimensions of it; all that is ne- 

 cessary is, to secure the plants and flowers from 

 the before mentioned casualties. Take off the 

 covering of leaves, &c, in the spring, as soon as 

 the plants begin to make their appearance, and 

 with a trowel or small fork, stir up the soil a little 

 between each row, and leave the whole smooth 

 and neat; now begin to make a quantity of small 

 neat stakes, about two and a half feet in length, 

 for securing the flower stems to, beginning at one 

 end of the bed, and placing a stake in the centre 

 of the four first plants. Procure some lead wire, 

 and twisting it once or twice round the stake, you 

 will find that there is only three inches to go to 

 reach the flower stems of four tulips; twist it once 

 round the stem carefully, leaving room enough for 

 it to play about easy; thus it will take three stakes 

 to secure twelve of the flower stems, which, if 

 neatly done, will have an elegant eflect. After 

 flowering, the tops will soon begin to decay; and 

 when yellow, or dead, the bulbs ought to betaken 

 up and laid away from the sun to dry a day or 

 two; then clean and place them in a dry room, 



