April] FLOWER GARDEN. 345 
sterling, for a single root of a new variety. Such is the present 
rage for tulips in England. 
For the most suitable soil, and best method of planting, see the 
Flower-garden for October. 
Ranunculuses. 
April showers, and frequent rains in May, are essentially neces- 
sary to the growth and vigour of ranunculuses: if these fail, soft 
water must be administered in sufficient quantities between the 
rows, by means of a common watering pot, with a long tube or 
spout held low, so as not to wash the earth into holes: for it is bet- 
ter to avoid watering the plants themselves, as it might chill them 
too much, and stagnate their juices. The consequences of omit- 
ting to water, when necessary, are these, viz: The plants will 
make little progress; the blossom buds of the strongest will be 
small, and the weaker plants will not bloom at all; the grass or 
foliage will put on a sickly yellowish appearance, from which it 
will not recover during the season; and lastly, the roots when taken 
up will be small and lean. 
But such kinds of watering, however necessary, are by no means 
so salutary to these, or any other flowers or plants, as fine warm, 
natural showers; as they can neither be so equally dispensed, nor 
are the plants naturally disposed to receive them when the atmo- 
sphere is dry; because their pores and fibres are contracted, and 
they are, as it were, in the expectancy of dry weather. 
Since it is evident that artificial waterings are, in all respects, so 
much inferior to natural, it is, therefore, better to wait a day or two, 
in hopes of a change of weather, than to be too hasty in affording 
these succours, although the plants may appear to suffer for the 
moment by the omission; for if such a change should fortunately 
take place, they will receive infinitely more benefit from it than 
when both themselves and the soil are already saturated or replen- 
ished with water, not so congenial to vegetation as that ordained 
by nature for the purpose. For their further treatment see the 
Flower- Garden in May. 
.Anemones. 
The beds of anemones, for the present, will require exactly the 
same treatment as the ranunculuses; therefore it is not necessary 
to say more in this place respecting them. 
Auriculas. 
The auriculas, towards the middle of this month, will be ad- 
vancing in their flower stems. If any plant is possessed of more 
than one or two principal stems, it is advisable to pinch off the 
pips or flower buds of the smallest and weakest, in order to render 
the blossoms of the remaining larger and more vigorous than they 
would be if this was omitted to be done in due time. 
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