THE ELOEAL WOULD AA'D GAEDEN GUIDE. 
o-J-S 
PLANTING THE RANUNCULUS. 
Bl' A CORRESl'ONDENT. 
LTRING the present month I plant my Turbans; but in 
general I keep the other sorts out of the ground till the 
beginning of February. This allows me to expose the 
soil of my bed as much as possible to the action of frost, 
and a few fine dry days in spring enable me to commit 
my tubers to the earth in safety. As to time, a few days earlier or 
later in planting will not be of much importance, provided the soil 
is sufficiently dry to allow of its filling up the interstices of the 
tubers, and securing that firm, yet porous state, so necessary for a 
healthy vegetation. The day being dry and fine, you may at once 
commence your operations by nicely levelling the bed, which should 
be perfectly fiat, and not raised in the centre, a practice of which 
inexperienced persons are fond, and which is so often injurious. As 
the Ranunculus naturally requires a low marshy soil, it will demand, 
in its cultivated state, a great deal of moisture, and therefore the 
bed should be below the level of the garden rather than above 
it, that draught may be repelled as long as possible, and that arti- 
ficial watering, when necessary, may be most effective. 
In levelling, let the surface only be stirred, as some degree of firm- 
ness in the subsoil is advantageous to the plant. Have ready the 
roots in the papers with the uames, some neat wooden labels, and a 
quantity of clean white sand ; then, determining to brave the cold 
wind which may be blowing, and not to be discouraged by the back- 
ache, proceed to commit to the earth the humble-looking tubers, 
which in four months are to develop so many beauties. About 
four inches apart every way is probably the best distance at which 
the Ranunculus should be planted, and the amateur should there- 
fore regulate the size of his bed by the number of roots in his collec- 
tion, and dispose them equally all over it. With a cord and a small 
trowel draw a straight furrow across the bed, beginning in the 
centre and advancing to the edge with successive furrows, that the 
planted roots may not be interfered with. Place the roots so that 
the crowns shall be one inch and a-half beneath the surface, when 
the bed is completed, and having thus filled the furrow with tubers, 
four inches apart, drop a little sand on each, sufficient to cover it, 
and draw the excavated soil over the whole. Make another furrow 
four inches distant from the first, aud proceed as before, until that 
side of the bed is finished. Then operate in the same way with the 
other side, and the work is done. A slight pressure with tbe band 
should be given to every row as the work proceeds. With regard 
to the labelling, I have found the following plan the best : As each 
root is taken out of the paper, write its name on the painted stick 
with a strong lead pencil, and place root and label in the furrow 
together. The stick should be about one inch distant from the root, 
and must be fixed in rather firmly, as I have found the nocturnal 
perambulations or gambols of a cat sufficient to throw them into 
confusion. If the writing is always turned the same way, either 
