98 On the Culture of the Shallot, $c. 



become firmly rooted. This mould was then removed by 

 the hoe and watering-pot, and the bulbs in consequence 

 were placed wholly out of the ground. The growth of these 

 plants now so closely resembled that of the common onion, 

 as not to be readily distinguished from it ; till the irregula- 

 rity of form, resulting from the numerous germs within each 

 bulb, became conspicuous. The forms of the bulbs, however, 

 remained permanently different from all I had ever previously 

 seen of the same species, being much more broad, and less 

 long ; and the crop was so much better in quality, as well 

 as much more abundant, that I can confidently recommend 

 the mode of culture adopted to the attention of every 

 gardener. 



A few experiments similar to the preceding were made 

 upon bulbs of the Oriental Hyacinth. Some of these were 

 planted in the ordinary method beneath the soil, and others 

 wholly above it, the mould being raised upon each side to 

 cover them, and subsequently taken away ; and I found that 

 those under the latter mode of culture flowered most strongly 

 and in every other respect succeeded best. A compost, 

 of great richness, formed of matter collected just without 

 the gate of my fold-yard, and probably consisting of nearly 

 equal parts of earth and cow-dung, by weight ( if each sub- 

 stance had been perfectly dry), appeared to be exceedingly 

 well adapted to this plant ; which expends much in a very 

 short period of time in the production of leaves and flowers, 

 and retains its foliage only a short time afterwards, and 

 therefore probably requires more nutriment than it can 

 generally obtain under the ordinary modes of culture. It is 

 true that this, and some other bulbous-rooted plants, protrude 



