188 The Flower Garden [Chapter 



torn for drainage. Return the soil to the bed, making 

 it mellow and fine. The earlier the bulbs are planted 

 the more roots will be started before the ground 

 freezes, but late fall or winter planting, providing the 

 ground is not frozen, is preferable to spring plant- 

 ing. Spring-planted bulbs rarely amount to anything, 

 having lost much of their vitality by being so long 

 out of the ground. 



A bed facing the south is warmer and earlier than 

 any other, hence it is sometimes liable to a set-back 

 if not actual injury from a sudden sharp frost 

 after the plants have started in the spring, and the 

 litter should not be wholly removed until it is entirely/ 

 safe to do so. An ideal bed for early bulbs would be 

 one on the south side of the house, sloping slightly 

 toward the south, with a frame around it somewhat 

 higher at the back, over which a canvas attached to 

 hooks could be drawn on cold nights and days. The 

 frame should be made so that it could be readily 

 lifted on the approach of warm weather. 



Hyacinths, Tulips, and Narcissi look far better 

 when planted each in a bed by themselves, as they are 

 not at all in harmony. Plant Hyacinths seven inches 

 apart and four inches deep, either in beds of vivid col- 

 ours without other order than a regular distance apart, 

 or according to some colour arrangement or geomet- 

 rical design. Tulips should be planted four inches 

 apart each way and four inches deep. A good ar- 

 rangement is to draw lines across the bed forming 



