April.] FLOWER GARDEN. 343 



blossoms begin to open, be shaded from the sun, in the same man- 

 ner as directed for your elegant hyacinths; for, when its heat is 

 considerable, it will cause the colours to run and intermix in such 

 a manner as to destroy the elegance and beauty of the flowers; 

 some sorts are more particularly liable to this than others, and will 

 be spoiled in five minutes. 



The awning should be always kept rolled up, or totally oft', ex- 

 cept when the sun is powerful; for if kept too long, or too closely 

 covered, the colours of the flowers would become faint and weak, 

 and the grandeur of eft'ect would be lost or considerably lessened. 



Strong winds are extremely injurious to tulips when in flower, 

 by dashing them against one another, and thereby bruising their 

 petals, from the ett'ects of which they must be guarded by letting 

 down the awning at such times quite to the ground on the windy 

 side; a line of bass mats sewed together, and their upper edge 

 nailed to the frame on that side, may answer the purpose, if the 

 cloth is not of sufficient length. 



Tulips never require to be artificially watered in the hottest 

 and driest seasons, at any period from planting to taking up the 

 roots; nevertheless, moderate rains will be very beneficial to them 

 in spring, and cause them to produce a strong bloom; after flower- 

 ing, too much wet is very prejudicial to the roots. Immediately 

 after the' flowers are on the decline, the bed must be fully exposed 

 to the open air. 



Lines of small twine, painted green, should pass from one end 

 of the bed to the other, corresponding with the rows of flowers, 

 fastened at the ends and middle to nice painted sticks placed there- 

 in for that purpose; to these the stems of the flowers are to be 

 loosely tied with short pieces of green worsted, which will preserve 

 a pleasing regularity of appearance, without stiffness and formality. 

 The covering may be continued at the necessary intervals for three 

 weeks with safety, but continuing it too long will injure them. 



When vacancies occur in the beds by the decay of some roots 

 which might look awkward, you may immerse the lower end of the 

 stems of flowers from other quarters, in phials filled with water, 

 and sunk into the bed, so as not to appear above ground; these will 

 continue in bloom, when shaded, for several days, and may be re- 

 placed with others, which will fill those vacancies and make a tole- 

 rable appearance. 



Common tulips will require no other care in the borders, &c 

 than keeping them free from weeds. 



Jl description of the properties of a fine Variegated Late Tulip. 



The stem should be strong, elastic and erect, and about thirty 

 inches above the surface of the bed. 



The flower should be large and composed of six petals; these 

 should proceed a little horizontally at first, and then turn upwards, 

 forming almost a perfect cup, with a round bottom, rather wider at 

 the top. 



The three exterior petals should be somewhat larger than the 



