376 BRECK’S NEW BOOK OF FLOWERS. 
by a simple course of cultivation; the varieties in my 
possession being probably as fine as can be obtained from 
any collection in Europe,-having been imported, a few 
years since, at great expense. 
The finer sorts of Tulips should always be planted in 
beds, containing a considerable quantity of bulbs; but 
they look very well when disposed in small groups, in the 
borders, particularly the more common sorts. 
The proper season for planting is in October. If kept 
out longer, they are somewhat weakened, and will not 
flower so finely. 
A bed for two hundred and fifty Tulips, should be thir- 
ty-six feet long by four wide. The bulbs to be planted 
in rows, seven inches apart, and seven inches distant from 
each other. The ground being marked out, the soil 
should be taken out to the depth of twenty inches. The 
rich surface mould should be first taken off and placed 
by itself, while the subsoil must be taken off out of the 
way. I have found the best soil for Tulips to be that 
made of decayed turf, from an old pasture, well incorpo- 
rated with old, thoroughly-decomposed cow-manure, with 
a little sand, if the soil be adhesive; for the Tulip and 
most bulbs delight in a loose soil. The exact quantity of 
these three materials is laid down by some florist as one 
third of each, but I have not been so nice. My mould is 
light enough without much sand, and the quantity of ma- 
nure is very small, not more than one-eighth, When 
highly manured, the flowers will make a ranker growth, 
but it is injurious to the flower. The mould or soil 
should be prepared beforehand, and frequently turned to 
receive the influence of the air and sun When the bed 
has been dug out as directed, the cavity is to be filled 
with this compost, a week or ten days before planting. 
My practice is to fill it even with the surface of the 
ground, This, when settled, will be the right depth to 
