H Y 



the Ground with a narrow Spade, or 

 forae Other handy Inltrument : this 

 is what the Dutch Gardeners term 

 lifting of them : in the doing of this, 

 the Inftrument mult, be carefully 

 thruft down by the Side of the Root, 

 being careful not to bruife or injure 

 it, as alfo to put it below the Bot- 

 tom of the Root : then by the force- 

 ing of this inftrument on one Side, 

 the Fibres of the Root are raifed and 

 feparated from the Ground. The 

 Defign of this is, to prevent theft 

 receiving any more Nourifhment 

 from the Ground ; for by imbibing 

 too much Moifture at this Sea on, 

 the Roots frequently rot after they 

 are taken up : about a Fortnight af- 

 ter this Operation, the Roots mould 

 be intirely taken out of the Ground ; 

 and then raife the Earth of your B?ds 

 into an high fharp Ridge, laying the 

 Roots into it in an horizontal Pofi- 

 tion, with their Leaves hanging 

 out ; by which means a great Part of 

 the Moifture contained in theif thick 

 fucculent Stalks and Leaves will eva- 

 porate, which, if it were permitted 

 to return back to tne Roof, would 

 Caufe them to roc and decay after 

 they are taken up, which has been 

 the general Defed of melt of the 

 Hyacinths in England. 



In this Pofition the Roots fhould 

 remain until the green Leaves are in- 

 tirely dried up, which perhaps may 

 be in three Weeks time. This is 

 what the Dutch Gardeners term, the 



i ripening of their Roots ; becaufe, by 

 this Method, the Roots become firm, 



i and the outer Cover is fmooth, and 

 of a bright purple Colour ; whereas 

 thole Roots which are permitted to 

 remain undiflurbed, till the Leaves 

 and Stalks are quite decayed, wi 1 be 

 large, fpongy, and their o.iter Coats 

 will be of a pale Colour : for the 

 Stems of many of thefe Flowers are 

 u Vol. IL 



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very large, and contain a great 

 Quantity of Moiffttrej which, if fuf- 

 fered to return into the Roots, will in- 

 fallibly caufe manyof them to perm. 

 After they are lo ripened, you mult 

 take them out of tne Ground, and 

 wipe them clean with a loft woollen, 

 Cloth, taking off all the decayed 

 Parts of the Leaves and Fibres, put- 

 ting them ii to open Boxes where 

 they may lie fmgly,and be expoled to 

 the Air: but they mull: be preferved 

 carefudy from Mo'lture ; nor mould 

 they be fuffered to remain wnere 

 the Sun may lhine upon them : in this 

 manner they may be preferved out 

 of the Ground until Sept, mter. w hich 

 is theSeafcn for planting them again; 

 at which time you mult Separate all 

 the ftrong flowering Roots, planting 

 them in Beds by thenVe!ves> that 

 they may make an equal Appearance 

 in their Flowers : Da: tfie OfT-fets 

 and fmaller Roots mould be p anted 

 in another feparate Bed for one 

 Year ; in which t;me ihey Will ac- 

 quire Strength, and by the fucceed- 

 ing Year will be as Ihor.g as the 

 older Roots. 



The fmgle and femi double Flow- 

 ers fhould be planted alio in a B;d by 

 themfelves, where they fhouid be 

 carefully fheltered (as was directed 

 before) from the Ffoft, until the 

 Flowers are blown : at which time 

 their Covering mould be intirely re- 

 moved, and they Inhered to receive 

 the open Air; which, tho 1 it may 

 fooh deface the Beauty Of the Flow- 

 ers, yet is abfolutely necefTary to 

 promote their feeding : and whefl the 

 Seeds are quite ripe, you mutt cut 

 off the Veliels, and prefer' e them, 

 with the Seeds therein, until the bei~ 

 fon for lowing it. But you mull: ob- 

 ferve, that aftfcr thefe Flowers have 

 produced Seeds, they fe'dem flower 

 lo well again, a: iealx not in two 

 T t Yeats 



