RAN 



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EAN 



be performed two or three times at in- 

 tervals of three or four weeks between, 

 finishing the last about the end of 

 January, so as to allow the bed to settle 

 by the planting time in February. 



Planting. The best time for doing 

 this is between the 8th and 20th of Fe- 

 bruary. The soil of the bed ought to be 

 neither wet nor dry. To prove its state, 

 iako up a handful, gently squeeze it, and 

 let it fall about half a yard ; if it is in a 

 right condition, it will fall in pieces. 

 With a rake level the soil ; then, with a 

 triangular-shaped and rather small hoe, 

 or with the corner of a common hand- 

 hoe, draw a drill across the bed, two 

 inches deep ; draw the next five inches 

 distant from the first, and so on till the 

 whole bed is finished. Commence this 

 some fine morning, when there is a pros- 

 pect of the day continuing fine. When 

 the drills are all finished, sprinkle at the 

 bottom of each drill some fine sand ; 

 then bring out your ranunculus roots, 

 with a numbered label, made either of 

 lead, with the number stamped upon it, 

 or of wood, with each number written 

 wpon it with a black-lead-pencil upon a 

 coating of white-lead. Begin then to 

 plant the variety written in your book 

 opposite No. 1 ; take each root between 

 your finger and thumb, and place it at 

 the bottom of the drill, very gently press- 

 ing it down in the sand to about half the 

 length of the claws of each root. Having 

 placed the first to your mind, put the 

 next at four inches distance from it, and 

 so proceed till you have planted all the 

 first kind ; then thrust in the numbered 

 label, either with the number facing the 

 kind, or with its back to it. Both ways 

 are practised by florists, but we prefer 

 the number to face the variety it belongs 

 to. If our plan is followed the number 

 should be always put in first, the whole 

 of the variety planted, and then the 

 second number put in, and the second 

 land planted. Follow on in this manner 

 till the bed is filled. As soon as that is 

 completed, cover the roots just over the 

 crowns with some more of the fine sand : 

 this sand prevents the roots from getting 

 too wet, or moulding. Then with a rake 

 carefully level down the soil into the 

 drills. If your bed is not edged with 

 boards or slates (as recommended be- 

 fore), stretch a line on one side of the 

 bed, about four inches from the roots, 

 .and with the back of the spade pat the 



soil on the side of the bed gently, to 

 make it firm; then chop down the edge of 

 the bed nearly perpendicularly. 



After-culture. It is essential to the 

 success of this flower that the soil about 

 them should be close and firm, almost 

 approaching to hardness. If the bed 

 has been rightly prepared, and the flower 

 planted according to the instructions 

 given, all will be well. When the tops 

 begin to push through the soil, it will be 

 of the greatest importance to tread the 

 soil down very firm between the rows, 

 and if any symptoms of cracking in the 

 soil appear, the surface should be stirred 

 to prevent it. Protection from sharp 

 late frosts should be given, by covering 

 whenever such weather is likely to take 

 place, and it is equally beneficial to pro- 

 tect from heavy rains. Both are best 

 excluded by hoops extended across the 

 bed to support a covering of tarpaulin or 

 oil- cloth. During April and May, should 

 dry weather prevail, water may be cau- 

 tiously administered at intervals in an 

 evening, but only just so much as will 

 prevent the soil of the bed from cracking ; 

 or a little moss or old, spent tanners' 

 bark, &c., may be neatly placed between 

 the rows, which will retain the moisture 

 in the soil. The over-abundant applica- 

 tion of water is a very common error, 

 and one of the greatest evils. 



The dying of leaves, in some instances, 

 evidently depends on a want of vigour, 

 or partial rot in the root; and, in some 

 few cases, it would appear to be caused 

 by large earthworms, forming their wide 

 tracks amid the roots of the plants, 

 nearly undermining them; but in the 

 great majority of cases it is produced 

 by injudicious watering. 



During the expansion of the flower- 

 buds, and when they are fully blown, an 

 awning should be erected over the bed, 

 as in the case of tulips, that rain and 

 hot sun may be excluded; and gentle 

 watering every second or third evening 

 may be given, which will keep the bed 

 cool and moist, and promote the size of 

 the flower. As much air should be ad- 

 mitted as possible, that the flower-stems 

 be not drawn and weakened. 



liaising Seedlings. Save seed only 

 from varieties distinguished for excellence 

 of form and colour. Sow in February, 

 and place the boxes in a cool greenhouse 

 or frame. Sow in boxes eighteen inches 

 by eleven inches, and four inches deep, 



