100 THE PLEASURE, OR [Feb. 



Snails and slugs being utter enemies to these plants, whilst in a 

 seedling state, it will be necessary, so soon as you sow the seeds, 

 and before placing the pots or boxes in a hot-bed, or under the pro- 

 tection of glasses without bottom heat, for either method will do, 

 to make lines of short, coarse, strong hair, about half an inch or 

 better in diameter, to tie round each pot or box, immediately under 

 the rim; the line being tied, trim the long loose hairs around it 

 with a pair of scissors, to a quarter of an inch in length, which short 

 prickly hairs will, as often as snails or the like approach it, in the 

 act of ascending the sides of the pots or boxes, prick them, cause 

 them to change their course, and thereby finally protect the young 

 plants from enemies which would, in a few hours, totally eat up the 

 finest crops, particularly the auriculas. 



Tulips, Hyacinths, Anemones and Ranunculuses. 



Defend the beds of the more curious or valuable tulips, hyacinths, 

 anemones, and ranunculuses, from frost, snow, and cold or exces- 

 sive rains; the plants will now begin to appear above ground, and 

 the beds wherein the finest of these flower-roots are planted, should 

 now, where intended, and if not done before, be arched over with 

 hoops; and in frosty or extremely bad weather, let mats or canvass 

 be drawn over them, in some measure to defend the advancing 

 flower-buds. 



This, where it can be conveniently done, should not now be 

 omitted to the choicer kinds, when required to have them blow 

 in their utmost perfection; for although they are hardy enough, 

 yet, being protected in their early flower-buds from inclement 

 weather, both in this and the next month, the blow will be much 

 finer than if fully exposed; however, this care is not necessary for 

 the common kinds, either in beds or borders. 



The early anemones and ranunculuses which were planted in 

 September or early in October, and are consequently in a consi- 

 derable state of forwardness, will still require greater protection 

 than such as were late planted; for the rudiments of their flowers 

 being in a somewhat advanced state, would be greatly injured if 

 too much exposed, especially to the great extremes of our mid-day 

 sun, and the severe night frosts prevalent at this season; therefore 

 by protecting them carefully from the rigour of the one, you do not 

 expose them so much to the power of the other, but when both are 

 suffered to act alternately with their full respective force upon these, 

 as well as upon many other of the more tender kinds of flowers 

 and esculents, a disorganization of their parts is the immediate 

 consequence, and an untimely death their ultimate end. This is 

 a "golden rule," which ought to be assiduously observed with re- 

 spect to every plant that is not sufficiently hardy to bear the frosts 

 of our rigorous winters. 



For the convenience of affording all the above choice kinds a 

 suitable protection, they ought to be planted in beds of rich compost 

 mould, surrounded with a hot-bed or other temporary frame, with 

 tanner's bark or other protection drawn up on the outsides thereof, 





