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tulips eight or nine; though it is often the and occasionally every three or four weeks, till 

 practice to allow the former not more than five the latter end of February, in order to have 

 or six inches. them flower in succession. In this method the 



The depths of setting roots of the bulbous bottom of the bulbs should he just immerged in 

 kinds are in general according to their sizes or the water, which should he renewed once a 

 growths, as three or four inches from their week or oftener, so as to keep it constantly up 

 upper parts. But some sorts, as the crown im- to the bottoms of the bulbs. Soft water is the 

 pcrial and crocus, will rise from a conside- best for this purpose. The blow is said, by Mr. 

 rable depth, as six inches or more, and others Marshall, to be considerably strengthened by 

 from still greater ; which has induced some dissolving a portion of nitre, about the size of a 

 persons to plant them to such depths as are suf- pea, in the water each time it is changed. 

 ficient to prevent their being injured by digging Besides the raising of flowers from root- 

 over the surface ground, bulbs in these modes, there are some produced 

 Different methods are employed in planting from little bulbs formed on the sides of the top- 

 bulbous roots, as those of putting them in by parts of the stems, as in the bulbiferous lily, 

 the dibble, and in drills drawn by a hoe. The These should be taken off about August, and, 

 latter is in general to be preferred, as they are after being dried a little in the sun, planted out 

 apt to lie hollow in dibbling, while by placing in rows in the nursery, in the same manner as 

 them in a drill they may be gently pressed in^o off-sets. 



the soil, and be perfectly covered up. When they By these means the various bulbous-rooted 

 are set in beds, the best method is to draw off plants may be continued : but in order to pro- 

 the mould a sufficient depth to one side, leaving duce new varieties recourse must be had to seed, 

 the surface perfectly level, watering it a little in which should be carefully saved, when fully 

 dry seasons, and then forming it into proper ripened, from the best and most curious flowers, 

 squares, placing a bulb in the middle of each, and which, after having been hardened a little 

 coveting them with the mould drawn off so as in the sun, should be sown in boxes of light 

 to leave the bulbs in an upright position. After rich earth, setting them in a sheltered sunny 

 the bulbs have been put into the earth, if the situation, but not under cover. This is usually 

 weather continue very dry, a little water should done about the latter end of August, or be- 

 be sprinkled over the beds or other places, ginning of the following month; hyacinths, 

 to forward their vegetation and prevent their tulips, and other large sorts being covered to 

 rotting. the depth of nearly an inch, and others, of 



Some protection is occasionally necessary in the smaller sorts, half an inch. A little water 

 raising the more curious sorts of flowers of should be occasionally given when the season is 

 these roots, as, before they appear during the dry, to keep the soil moist, but not wet. The 

 winter, the beds should be sheltered from too seeds may be protected till they come up, by a 

 much wet, in order to guard against the effects little covering of some kind of strawy material. 

 of frost. And when they first present them- Other sowings may be made in March, or the 

 selves above the ground, they should have the following month, the boxes being brought into 

 protection of an awning of cloth, mats, or southern exposures, where there is only the 

 other contrivances in the nights when the wea- morning sun towards May. The young seed- 

 ther is severe; but they should not remain on ling plants should be protected in severe frosty 

 in the day-time when it is tolerable. Some sort weather, and when there is much rain, by means 

 of covering of the same sort is likewise ueces- of mats and hoops, and a reed hurdle or 

 sary when they are in blow, to shield them from other contrivance to break off' the north-east 

 the sun and rain, and continue them much winds. 



longer in a perfect state of flowering. The young plants should likewise be kept 



There is a method of getting; spring flower- properly thinned out, and perfectly free from 

 ing bulbs forward, which is by setting them weeds. When the stems decay, a little mould 

 in pots or glasses for the purpose, in warm should be put upon them to the thickness of 

 rooms, or in moderate hot-beds, as by these half an inch. In the following summer, when 

 means they flower in winter. The hyacinth the leaves decay, as about August, they should 

 and narcissus, as well as several others, may be be planted out into nursery-beds, at the distance 

 managed in this way with facility. These of two or three inches, according to the kinds, 

 should be placed in pots of light dry sandy earth Some sorts, as the hyacinth and tulip, require 

 in autumn, as about the beginning of October, to be removed from these into other nursery- 

 water being occasionally given. They may beds as soon as their tops decline, and set at 

 likewise be put into glasses at the same period, six inches distance; or it is probably a better 



