44 
CULTURE OF THE RANUNCULUS. 
8. In dry weather they will require watering, and this must be continued, if 
they require it, until they are in full blow. 
9. In all situations where the sun has great power, shading must be resorted to, 
or the leaves will become yellow, and but few flowers will be produced. In all 
situations shading is necessary when they come into flower, or the flowers will 
neither be true to their colours, nor the roots so fine as they otherwise would be. 
This shading may be done either by means of an awning, or hoops and mats j 
by whatever means it is done, a free current of air must be allowed to pass under- 
neath, or the stems will be weakly and unable to support the flowers. No covering 
should be nearer the ground than a foot and a half, or two feet. 
10. Never allow the roots to remain in the ground after the herbage disappears. 
The best way of keeping them is in trays or drawers with wire bottoms, and 
divisions to hold a certain number of the roots of each sort ; as the tops die the 
roots are taken up, and after being picked clean, are placed in the compartments* 
which are either numbered and placed on a list, or the names themselves are pasted 
in each compartment. When all are taken up, the trays are placed in a stand in 
