SECT. XVIII. 



OF F LOWERS. 



273 



****** 



The less-tender annuals fhould have a flight 

 bed (about two feet thick) made for them at Mid- 

 March, or a little after, being fown and managed a* 

 directed for the tender forts. When they are one or two 

 inches high, (according to their nature) they muft be 

 taken up with a fcoop trowel, fo as to keep a ball of 

 earth about their roots, and either tranfplanted on an- 

 other bed, about one and a half foot thick of dung, 

 or into the cold ground ; the fmall kinds at four or five, 

 and the larger at fix or eight inches afunder, in a good 

 well broke foil. Let them be immediately watered and 

 kept moift, and (haded from fun till well fettled. Here 

 they may grow till their leaves begin to meet, when they 

 fhould be cut between their roots with a good knife, and 

 lifted up neatly with a fcoop trowel, to be potted or 

 planted where they are to flower : If this bufinefs is done 

 zuel/y they will leceivebut little check in their tranfplan- 

 %ation. Spindle rooted plants (as flocks J fhould be moved 

 where they are to blow, as young as may be ; but fibrous 

 rooted ones may be fhifted much older. 



Plants will flag a little even when removed with a 

 large ball of earth ; becaufe feme of the fibres of the 

 roots are either broke or cut, and a plant is chiefly fed 

 by the youngeft and mofl extreme parts of the root. If 

 poflible, let all fummer tranfplanted flowers be JJjaded 

 from fun, by garden pots, (raifed a little) or otherwife, 

 till they have (truck frelh roots, which they will foon 

 do; but uncover on nights. This will occahon fome 

 trouble ; yet the advantage attending it makes it very 

 advifable, if not abfoluteiy neceflary, and efpecially 

 when the plants are moved with none, or very little 

 mould about their roots. I x 



A hot-bed for thefe, as it is moderate, may be covered 

 with hoops and mats, and do very well, or rather better 

 than frames and glafs; for it often happens, that annuals 



are 



