41G 



THE PLEASURE, OR FLOWER GARDEN. 



Hyacinths and Tulips. 



Most of your hyacinths and tulips will, in the course of this 

 month, be tit for taking up, and. then are to be treated as directed 

 in pages 392 and 393. 



Ranunculuses. 



When the foliage and flower stems of the ranunculuses appear 

 brown and dry, vegetation has then ceased, and it is the exact time 

 to take up the roots, because if they are suffered to remain in the 

 ground till rainy weather ensues the roots will begin to shoot 

 afresh, and thereby sustain a considerable injury. When the roots 

 are taken up, their stems, &c. should be cut off close, and they 

 should be placed in a shady, airy room, or situation to dry gradual- 

 ly; but before this is perfectly accomplished, it will be proper to 

 clean and separate them, because, when quite dried, they become 

 hard and brittle, and there is great danger of breaking oft' their 

 claws: some may be separated into many complete roots, although 

 they are so closely connected, as on a superficial observation, to 

 have the appearance of only one large root. 



Nothing remains to be done till the return of the planting season, 

 except to stow the sorts separately in bags or boxes, for the sake of 

 convenience, in a dry room; in which state they will retain their 

 vegetative power for two years, but will be much weakened if kept 

 out of the ground till the second. 



Anemones. 



The appearance that indicates the proper time of taking up the 

 roots of anemones, and their subsequent treatment, are the same as 

 for ranunculuses, with only the following caution, viz: that as the 

 roots are exceedingly brittle, it is necessary to handle them very 

 gently upon dressing or cleaning away their fibres and the soil that 

 adheres to them; however, should only small pieces break oft", such 

 should not be thrown away, as each will, in the course of two 

 years, become a blooming root. 



The constitution of anemones undergoes considerable changes 

 with age, which perhaps is, in a greater or smaller degree, the case 

 with all other vegetables. The anemone will not last more than 

 twelve or fifteen years* without degenerating, unless it be fre- 



* The ranunculus will last about twenty or twenty-five years in perfec- 

 tion; it afterwards degenerates and perishes. Tulips and many other kinds 

 of flowers of vigorous constitutions, will continue for a very long time in 

 Strength and beauty so long as to render it difficult, if not impossible, to 

 ascertain the period of their duration. 



