68 CULTIVATION. 



injurious to the purity and distinctness of its 

 colours in the succeeding year. 



This sign on the stalk and leaves usually ap- 

 pears in about three or four weeks after the time 

 of full bloom ; during which time the bed only 

 requires to be kept rather dry than otherwise. 



YV'hen a tulip-bed is regarded as one of the 

 principal ornaments of a garden, it is an exhibi- 

 tion of which every friend or stranger has a 

 view ; and, on the premises of a professional 

 fiorist, his tulip-bed is a show to which every 

 customer is invited. In such cases, next to the 

 excellence and condition of the flowers is the i 

 precise order of their arrangement. Every | 

 individual having its right place, according to i 

 its height, colour, &c., and, above all, that there ; ( 

 be no unsightly blanks. But with the utmost i 

 care a bulb now and then will die, or send up an I 

 imperfect flower. To remedy such defects, sub- li 

 stitutes from the open ground are brought to fill 

 up the vacancies. For this purpose an instru- 11 

 ment is used, called a transplanter. Two of them ' ; I 



