Oct.] FLOWER GARDEN. 539 



be proper to keep them oft" in order to preserve the earth from be- 

 coming too compact by a redundancy of moisture, for the young 

 fibres to pass freely through it. 



On the day made choice of for planting, rake the surface of the 

 bed smooth, and level any inequalities, still preserving its convexity, 

 and mark the exact situation for every root upon it. The proper 

 distance between each root is seven inches every way. 



A bed consisting of seven rows makes the most grand appear- 

 ance when it is of sufficient length, with a path around it about two 

 and a half or three feet wide; but where the number of roots is 

 small, five rows may suffice, and the path in that case may either 

 extend quite around the bed, or only on one side, at pleasure. 



If the bed consists of seven rows it should consequently be fifty 

 inches wide, which will allow a space of four inches between the 

 outside rows and the sides of the bed; but if the bed contains only 

 five rows, it will only require to be three feet wide to give the roots 

 similar distances. 



Having sprinkled a little clean sand where the roots are to be set, 

 place them with great exactness, and add some very sandy earth, 

 so as to completely envelope each root in a little cone of it; then 

 cover the whole very carefully with strong, sound, fresh loam, about 

 four inches thick or a little better, if the roots are strong, so as to 

 allow the covering to be from three and a half to four inches thick, 

 after the earth shall have settled, still observing to preserve the 

 original convexity of the bed. 



The tallest growing kinds should be placed in the middle, and 

 the lower towards the outsides. No tulip root, whatever may be 

 its size or strength, should be planted more than four inches deep 

 from the upper side of the root; nor should any blooming root be 

 planted less than three inches deep, however small it may be. The 

 soil made use of for covering the bulbs, should be frequently turned 

 over and thoroughly exposed to the sun and air some time before 

 it is made use of, that it may be rendered perfectly sweet and free 

 from the acrid quality that most soils are subject to when taken 

 considerably below the surface. 



If the bed is only to contain five rows, with a path in the front 

 and not behind, then it will be proper to plant the smallest and 

 lowest growing kinds in the front next the path, and so gradually 

 to increase in the size to the fifth or last row, which should contain 

 the strongest and tallest of all. Board edgings may be placed 

 around the beds as high or an inch higher than the surface; this 

 will not only keep the earth from crumbling down from the outside 

 rows, but give a degree of neatness to the whole. 



AVhen the operation of planting is concluded, in order to pre- 

 serve the bed from heavy rains or severe frosts, it should be arched 

 over with hoops at convenient distances, on which to lay mats or 

 canvass on such emergencies; but it will not be necessary to defend 

 it from moderate rains or slight frosts: for too frequent and long 

 covering will deprive the roots of the due action and influence of 

 the air, which ought to be avoided as much as possible: it were even 



