164 PLANTING BULBS. [OCT. 



I am now busily preparing a bed for my 

 bulbs ; this is a matter of great consequence ! 

 If gardening teaches you neatness, it may also 

 teach you foresight ; for as you sow, so you 

 must reap ; and if you do not provide in winter, 

 your garden in the summer will be barren. 

 The soil I use for the bulbs is composed of 

 rich, light mould, sand, and rotten leaves. I 

 plant with a round-ended dibble, the hyacinths 

 and tulip roots in rows about five inches deep, 

 and six inches apart ; I put a little fine sand in 

 each hole before I put in the bulb, over which I 

 sprinkle a little more, and then cover it with 

 between three and four inches of earth. Cro- 

 cuses and snowdrops, of course, require to be 

 planted closer and not so deep. The narcis- 

 sus, I find, succeed best under a t south wall: 

 they should be planted as near the wall as pos- 

 sible, as the roots then receive less wet ; and 



