538 THE PLEASURE, OR [Oct. 



A good fresh loamy soil trenched about two feet deep, well pul- 

 verized, and manured with a stratum of cowdung two years old, 

 mixed with an equal portion of sound good earth; this stratum to 

 be about six inches thick, and placed about four inches below the 

 surface, is all the preparation or compost that appears necessary for 

 this flower. 



The bed should be raised three or four inches above the sur- 

 rounding paths, and its sides may be supported with an edging of 

 boards to come up even with, or one inch higher than its surface; 

 this last for the sake of neatness, more than any particular utility 

 it will be of to the plants. 



The plants intended for the principal bloom should be planted 

 in it in the first week of this month or in September, as they do 

 not blow quite so strong if removed late in the season: they should 

 be planted at the distance of nine inches from each other, and the 

 bed should be laid rather convex or rounding, to throw off" excess 

 of rain, but it will require no other covering than a very slight one 

 in case of severe frosts. 



The bed should be kept free from weeds, and its surface stirred 

 up a little if it inclines to bind. 



Carnations will prosper very well if treated in the above manner. 



The more indifferent kinds of pinks may be planted in the com- 

 mon borders, &c. 



Planting Superb Tulip Roots. 



The most proper season for planting tulip roots in general is 

 from the middle to the latter end of this month, and indeed I should 

 prefer the middle to any other period, for about that time you will 

 perceive a circle around the lower end of each bulb, disposed to 

 swell, preparatory to the emission of fibres, and also a disposition 

 at the upper end of some to show foliage. 



By keeping the roots out of ground after this predisposition to 

 vegetation, they would be greatly weakened thereby. 



The situation for the best bed of superior tulips, should be in an 

 open airy part of the garden, protected at the same time from north 

 and west winds by some distant shelter; when that is fixed upon, the 

 ground should be marked out agreeably to its intended dimensions, 

 and the soil taken out twenty inches deep; the bottom is then to be 

 filled up with sound fresh earth ten inches thick, upon which is to 

 be placed a stratum of two years old rotten cow-dung and earth of 

 the above description, one half of each, well mixed together and 

 laid on twelve inches thick; upon this is to be placed another stratum 

 of the same kind of earth as that of the bottom: this latter is only 

 to be two inches thick at the sides, and three in the middle of the 

 bed, which will give it a small degree of convexity- 



The bed should be thus prepared a week or ten days previous to 

 planting the roots, in order to give it time to settle, so as to be about 

 two inches higher than the circumjacent paths; but if heavy rains 

 intervene between this preparation of the bed and planting, it will 



