TULIPA. 



into different colours or variegations ; fo that the tedioufnefs 

 of raifing feedHng tulips to a flowering ftate often deters 

 from the undertaking. It is, however, the method by which 

 all the fine varieties were fii-ft obtained, and by which new 

 varieties are ftill annually gained ; as many perfons fow fome 

 every year, in expeftation that after the firft fix or feven 

 years a new Ihow of flowers will be produced, out of which 

 many new varieties may annually difcover therafelves in each 

 parcel. It is by this procefs the Dutch are fo famous for 

 furnifting fuch an infinity of fine varieties, fupplying almod 

 all other countries. 



In effefting this bufinefs, great care fhould be ufed in the 

 choice of the feed: the belt is that which is faved from 

 breeders which have all the good properties before related, 

 for the feeds of ftriped flowers feldom produce any thing that 

 is valuable ; and the beft method to obtain it is to make 

 choice of a parcel of fuch breeding tulip roots as are wiihed 

 to fave feeds from, and place them in a feparate bed from the 

 breeders, in a place where they may be fully expofed to the 

 fun, planting them at leaft nine inches deep, as when they 

 are planted too fhaUow their fl:ems are apt to decay before 

 their feed is perfeftly ripened : the flowers fliould be always 

 expofed to the weather, as when they are {haded with mats, 

 or any other covering, it prevents their perfecting the feed. 

 About the middle of July, according to the feafon, the feeds 

 will be fit to gather, as Ihewn by the drynefs of their Italks 

 and the opening of the feed-veflels, at which time they may 

 be cut ofi", and the feeds be preferved in the pods till the 

 feafon for fowing, being careful to put them up in a dry 

 place, otherwife they will be fubjeft to mould and be ren- 

 dered ufelefs. The beginning of Septeml)er is the proper 

 feafon for fowing the feed ; for which there fliould be pro- 

 vided a parcel of fhallow feed-pans, or boxes, whicli fliouId 

 have holes in their bottoms to let the moifture pafs off ; 

 thefe fliould be fiUed with frefh fandy earth, laying the fur- 

 face very even, upon which the feeds fliould be fown thinly as 

 regularly as poffible ; fome of the fame light fandy earth 

 being fifted over them, about half an inch thick. Thefe boxes 

 or pans fliould be placed where they may have the morning fun 

 till eleven o'clock, in which fituation they may remain till 

 Oftober, at which time they fliould be removed into a more 

 open fituation, where they may enjoy the benefit of the fun 

 all the day, and be ftieltered from the north winds, where 

 they fliould remain during the winter feafon ; but in the 

 fpring, when the plants appear with grafly leaves, they 

 fliould be again removed to their firfl; fituation ; and if the 

 feafon be dry, they muft be refreflied with water while the 

 plants remain green ; but as foon as their tops begin to de- 

 cay, no more (hould be given. The boxes fliould be placed 

 in a fliady fituation during the fummer feafon, but not under 

 the drip of trees. The weeds and mofs fliould be kept con- 

 ftantly cleared off from the furface of the earth in the boxes, 

 and a httle frefli earth be fifted over them foon after their 

 leaves decay ; and at Michaelmas they fliould be frefli-earthed 

 again, and as the winter comes on, be again removed into the 

 fun as before, and treated in the fame manner, until the leaves 

 decay in the fpring, when the bulbs fliould be carefully taken 

 up, and planted in beds of frefli fandy earth, which fliould 

 have tiles laid under them, to prevent their roots from flioot- 

 ing downward, which they often do when there is nothing 

 to flop them, and are deilroyed. The earth of thefe beds 

 may be about five inches thick upon the tiles, which vnll be 

 fufficient for nouriftiing the roots while young. The diftance 

 of planting them need not be more than two inches, nor 

 fliould they be planted above two inches deep. Toward the 

 end of Ottober it will be proper to cover the beds over with 

 a little firefli earth about an inch deep, which will preferve 



the roots from the froft, and prevent mofs or weeds from 

 growing over them ; and when the winter is very fevere, it 

 may be proper to cover the bed either with mats or peafe- 

 haulm, to prevent the froft from entering the ground, as thefe 

 roots are much tenderer while young, than after they have 

 acquired ftrength. In the next fpring the furface of the 

 ground fliould be again gently ftirred to make it clean, before 

 the plants come up ; and when the fpring proves dry, they 

 muft be frequently refreflied with water in fmall portions 

 during the time of their growth ; and when the leaves ari 

 decayed, the weeds fliould be taken off^, and the beds covered 

 with frefli earth, as before, which fliould alfo be repeated 

 again in the autumn. When the bulbs have been manacred 

 in this way two years, they fliould in the fummer following, 

 when their leaves decay, the roots being by that time coii- 

 fiderably improved in growth, be again taken up, and 

 planted in a frefli prepared bed, in drills three or four inches 

 afunder, in which to remain two years longer ; then, at the 

 decay of the leaf, be again planted out into frefli beds, in 

 rows as before, where they fliould be let remain to blow, 

 being afterwards ordered as the flowering bulbs. When 

 they are in full flower, they fliould be examined, in order to 

 mark fuch of them as difcover the beft properties, that they 

 may be feparated from the others at the proper lifting fea- 

 fon, and be replanted in beds by thenifelves for breeders ; 

 removing them annually at the proper feafon into different 

 beds of oppofite or contrary foils, as one year in poor hungry 

 earth, the next in a much richer mould ; continuing, them fo 

 till they break into- variegations and ftripes of different co- 

 lours, which are the only modes by which it can be affifted. 

 When the leaves and flower-ftems are decayed and withered, 

 and the roots have ceafed growing and drawing nourifliment 

 from the earth, it is the proper period for lifting or taking 

 the old roots out of the earth, to referve them till autumn 

 for planting, being preferved in the manner which is direfted 

 for them above. 



It may be noticed in addition, that all the forts and varie- 

 ties of tulips will grow pretty well and fucceed tolerably in 

 any foil where the earth or mould is moderately light and 

 dry in the winter feafon, but that they delight moll in fuch 

 as are of a fandy vegetable earthy nature, and in an open 

 funny expofure. They are moft injured by fuch as are of 

 a retentive and wet damp quality, in which it is conftantly 

 necefiary to have the beds in which they are put raifed four 

 or five inches above the common level of the reft of the 

 ground. It is cuftomary, however, with florifts to have 

 the beds for this purpofe compofed of and prepared with 

 different kinds of materials of the fea fandy and earthy forts, 

 particularly for their fineft kinds. But fuch trouble and 

 expence are often quite unnecelTary, as they fucceed well 

 enough withoufit ; only care muft always be taken not to 

 plant them more than one or two years together, efpecially 

 thefe fine forts, in the fame earth or bed, without changing 

 the quality of the foil, in fome meafure, either altogether or 

 in a partial manner, by fome removal of tlie old and addition 

 of new freili portions of light mould, garden earth, or com- 

 poft, or by a complete clearing away of the former earthy 

 matter and the fupplying of wholly new ; thus rendering 

 the blow of the tulips more ftrong as well as fairer. But 

 as this is only praftifed for the particularly fine forts in beds, 

 thofe which are to be planted in the open border may be 

 placed any where in the common foil, without any fear of 

 their not flowering well. 



In preparing the beds, or other parts, for the more 



choice forts, the ground is to be well dug to the depth of 



one or two fpits, and they are to be formed three or four 



feet in width, having alleys or intervals of one or two feet 



1 1 width 



