FLOPvISTS' FLOWERS. 



213 



fii'st liaving- beaten out the earth from the turf, and 

 clearing it of such harmful insects as wire-worm, 

 grubs, &c., about one-third of its quantity of well- 

 decomposed horse or cow manure should be added, 

 mixing it well together, throwing out the stones, but 

 not attempting to sift it — ^using it coarse and rough. 



About the beginning of September is the proper 

 time to prepare the bed for planting- ; and if it 

 occupies a moist position, the soil of the bed should 

 be raised a few inches above the ground- level, laying 

 at the bottom of the bed the coarsest portion of 

 the compost by way of drainage. The bed in which 

 the roots are to be planted should be one foot in 

 depth, therefore it will be necessary to remove some 

 of the garden soil to make room for it. It is Avell 

 to make up the bed two or three weeks prior to 

 planting, in order that the soil may settle down 

 somewhat solid. 



" There are two seasons for planting," observes Mr. 

 Carey Tyso—'- the middle of October, and the end of 

 January. The early vegetation of such roots as are left 

 in the ground would intimate that the former is the 

 most natural season, and undoubtedly October-jDlanted 

 tubers make stronger plants, throw up more flower- 

 buds, bloom earlier, and, when the season is favour- 

 able, produce finer blossoms, than those planted in 

 spring. The main drawback is, that the blossoms 

 expand before frosts have ceased, and hence a largo 

 amount of care and protection is necessary." And 

 now to return to the bed. The authority above 

 quoted gives the following directions for planting : — 

 "Rake the surface level, and mark the bed in cross 

 rows. Plant five roots in a row when the bed is 

 three feet four inches in width, which will allow six 

 or seven inches apart. As the tubers are varied in 

 form and size, the hand, or a trowel, should be used 

 to make the holes two inches deep, and large enough 

 to admit the root to rest evenlj^ on the soil, avoiding 

 much pressure, as the limbs of the tubers are often 

 slenderly attached to the crown, and are easily broken 

 off. Anemone tubers are formed of irregular fleshy 

 bunches, having a number of small protuberances, 

 called crowns. These crowns are distinguishable as 

 tufted apices, or obtuse points, often a shade darker 

 than the surrounding skin. They are frequently found 

 in clusters near the centre, and sometimes singly, 

 at the extremities of the projecting limbs. They are 

 easily recognised by the practised eye ; but as ama- 

 teurs have been frequently known to place them 

 upside down, some attention to this matter is need- 

 ful. The base, or lower part of the tuber, is known 

 by the remaining fragments of the fibrous roots of 

 the former year — unless, indeed, they have been 

 very carefully cleaned away. The direction to plant 

 the roots right side vpivards seems very trite, but it is 

 not in this case altogether superfluous. 



Supposing the tubers have been planted in October, 

 it is a good j^lan to place over the bed during winter 

 a layer of about two inches dej)th of decaying leaves, 

 which w^ill protect them from frost ; but as the f oli?.ge 

 comes through the ground some alteration should be 

 given, to enable the rising leaves to come through 

 it. The leaves and foliage come through the ground 

 in a folded form. It is a good plan to watch for 

 their appearance, and then, by loosening the soil, 

 enable them to come up thi-ough it without sustaining 

 injury. When the flower-buds appear they may be 

 thinned out if fine flowers are wanted. Water must 

 be applied to the bed in dry weather ; a thorough 

 soaking twice a week in the cool of the evening is 

 ■ better than frequent surface sprinklings. 



It sometimes happens that the Anemone will make 

 a second growth after the foliage of the first growth 

 has died away. Thus it was that the old florists 

 used to cover their beds after flowering to prevent 

 rain getting to the roots, and so encouraging this 

 second growth. Their aim was to thoroughly mature 

 the tubers ; and drj^ness is a preventive of second 

 growth. When the foliage is quite withered and 

 dry, the tubers should be carefully lifted, and if the 

 soil does not readily fall away from the roots, it is 

 well to leave them a week or so before the final 

 cleansing. The tubers should be kept in a dry room, 

 and occasionally looked over to prevent any harm 

 from mildew. 



The tubers of the Anemone admit of division, and 

 in this way particular varieties can be increased. 

 Generally the place of division is clearly indicated, 

 but not always so. The division of a single tuber 

 into two parts is as much as should be attempted, or 

 they will be materially weakened. 



The Anemone seeds very freely indeed. The seeds 

 are of a woolly and clinging character, so it is a 

 good plan to put them into a vessel -v^ith some sharp 

 white sand, and rub both together until they are 

 well mingled, and then they can be sown. The seeds 

 can be sown in the open ground, and a bed should 

 be prepared of a nice yellow loam, with some leaf- 

 mould and road-grit. The seed should be sown 

 thinly, and covered lightly with the compost. The 

 bed must be kept free from w^eeds. Water is 

 necessary in times of drought, and when the young 

 plants, which will appear in about a month, are 

 large enough, a slight top-dressing of rich soil 

 will greatly help them. If encouraged in this way 

 the plants will grow until November, and many will 

 flower the following April. The best varieties can 

 be lifted out, and placed in a bed by themselves. 

 From April to the end of May is a good time to sow. 



The Ranunculus. — This name is given to a 

 somewhat large family of plants, four species of which, 



