The Gardener's New Director. 331 



other part fifted lime rubbifli; tb.efe fhould be all mixed 

 together fix or eight months at ieafl: before it is ufed, 

 and Ihould be Frequently turned in order to mix the parts 

 well together. With this mixture the beds fhould be 

 made about two feet deep, after the following manner : 

 After the old earth is taken from out of the bed to the 

 depth intended, then fome of the frefl\ earth rtiould be 

 put in about eighteen inches thick; this fhould be le- 

 velled exaflly, and then lines drawn each way ot the bed, 

 chequerwife; at fix inches diftance, upon the centre of 

 each crofs, fhould be placed the Tulip roots in an ypright 

 pofition, and after h.ivinn; finilljed the bed in this man- 

 ner, the earth mull: be filled in, fo as to raile the bed fix 

 or eight inches higher, obferving, in doing this, not to 

 difplace any of the roots, and alfo to lay the top of the 

 beds a little rounding, to throw off the water. 



*' There are many perfons who are fo carelcfs in plant- 

 ing their Tulip roots, as only to dig and level the beds 

 well, and then with a blunt dibble to make holes, into 

 which they put the roots, and then fill up the holes with 

 a rake, but this is by no means a good method; for the 

 dibble in making the holes, prefles the earth clofely on 

 each fide, and at the bottom, whereby the moifture is 

 often detained fo long about the roots as to rot them, ef- 

 pecially if the foil is inclinable to bind; befides, the 

 earth being hard at the bottom of the biilbs, they can- 

 not fo eafily fhoot forth their fibres, which muff certain- 

 ly prejudice the roots. 



<' Thefe beds fliould be funk, moreor lefs, below the 

 furface, according to the moiflure or drynefs of ths 

 ground, for the roots fliould be fo elevated as never to 

 tiave the water ftand near the reach of their fibres in 

 winter, for moifture is very apt to rot them ; fo that 

 where the foil is very wet, it will be proper to lay fome 

 lime rubbifli under the earth, in order to drain off the 

 wet, and the beds fliould be entirely raifed above the le- 

 vel of the ground ; but to prevent their failing down inr 

 to the walks, after frofl, or hard rains, it will be proper 

 to raife the paths between them, either with fea coal 

 afhes or rubbifh, eight or ten inches, which v/ill fupport 

 the earth of the beds ; and thefe paths may flope at each 

 end from the middle, which will make a pafTagc for the 



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