CAUTIONS RESPECTING BULBS. U 



imitation of their natural state is to take up the 

 bulb, and keep it dry ; as it would otherwise be 

 rotted by the summer rains, or caused to grow 

 in the autumn ; in which latter case, the plant 

 would not flower in the spring, as the flower 

 stalks would be killed by the wet and cold of 

 winter, before, or soon after, it came to the 

 surface. 



There is another point on which I must guard 

 you, namely ; not to cut off the leaves of tulips, 

 hyacinths, and other bulbs, whilst green. This 

 is often done by ignorant gardeners ; and the 

 plant is thereby either killed, or injured for a 

 long time. You will easily understand the rea- 

 son of this ; nature having provided that, in the 

 very earliest of the spring, the plant should 

 throw up its leaves, and, soon after, its flower 

 stem : it has no time to lose. 



When the spring goes, the rain for the year 

 7 I 



