AND APPLICATION OP MANURE. 37 



obtained during the growing season. These two conditions 

 we can seldom find ; and, even if we could, few soils are 

 rich enough for bulb-culture without further preparation : 

 and therefore, having selected a sunny exposure, where no 

 large trees may, by their branches, shade the bed, or, by 

 their roots, rob it of its richness, our next step is the 



PREPARATION OF THE BED. 



The bed should be at least thirty inches deep, of good 

 bulb-soil ; and must be well drained. As few situations 

 naturally fulfil these conditions, excavation is necessary. 

 First, throw off all the black loam in piles at the side, and 

 then cart away all yellow loam, sand, or gravel, to the 

 required depth. If the subsoil is gravel, the bed is ready 

 for filling ; letting the bottom, however, slope gently from 

 back to front, the front of the bed being the point of obser- 

 vation, or that from which it is seen to best advantage 

 when in bloom. If, however, we have a stiff clay subsoil, 

 or any that will retain water, it will be necessary to go 

 from six to nine inches deeper for drainage. 



This space should be filled with small stones, laid to a 

 blind drain at the lowest part, to carry off all superfluous 

 water. The loam that was removed from the surface may 



