TUBEROUS A>~D EHIZOXTATOTJS ITOWEES. 69 



at a slight sacrifice of the fineness of the bloom. Very 

 small tubers, like those of the Ranunculus, are apt to 

 be weakened by remaining too long above ground. At 

 whatever time, when the bed is prepared and levelled, 

 make along it parallel trenches six inches apart, and 

 from two and a half to three inches deep. It is better 

 to deposit the roots in these, than to drop them into holes 

 made with a dibble. The plants may be six inches apart 

 every way, and can therefore thus be easily arranged in 

 quincunx order. Too wide a bed is inconvenient. In 

 the trenches, at the spot where each plant is to stand, 

 drop a good pinch of river sand, as much as you can take 

 up lightly with the thumb and three fingers. On this 

 sand plant each root, one by one, taking care that the 

 claws are downwards, and the crown of eyes uppermost. 

 Cover in the earth carefully, so that the crown is not 

 more than two inches, nor less than an inch and a half, 

 below the surface. Now comes the critical period of 

 their existence. The claws swell, by imbibing moisture 

 from the earth, and if frost reaches them then, they are 

 apt to perish. The danger is less when vegetation has 

 once commenced, as the superfluous fluid is thus carried 

 off". Covering with hoops, or canvass awning, or a thick 

 bed of straw, or carpeting with mats, must be resorted 

 to when such a casualty threatens to occur. Early in 

 spring, when the leaves begin to peep above-ground so 

 as to render the ranks of plants visible, the surface of the 

 soil between each rank should be compressed with the 

 hand quite close to the plants, on a fine dry day, when 

 the earth is not muddy nor sticky. Protection from 

 March and April frosts, weeding of course, watering (not 

 too hastily nor abundantly) in the droughts of May, and 

 shading when the sun begins to scorch, are the subsequent 

 attentions requisite. Yery choice collections of Ranun- 

 culuses are mostly complimented with the honour of an 

 awning during their period of bloom. By the beginning 

 of July, the foliage will be all withered, and the roots 

 had better be taken up immediately, lest a summer shower 

 should saturate them with moisture, rendering their 



