416 
THE PLEASURE, OR FLOWER GARDEN. 
Hyacinths and Tulips. 
Most of your hyacinths and tulips will, in the course of this 
month, be fit for taking up, and then are to be treated as directed 
in pages 392 and 393. 
Raiiunculuses. 
When the foliage and flower stems of the ranunculuses appear 
brown and dry, vegetation has then ceased, and it is the exact time 
to take up the roots, because if they are suffered to remain in the 
ground till rainy weather ensues the roots will begin to shoot 
afresh, and thereby sustain a considerable injury. When the roots 
are taken up, their stems, &c. should be cut off close, and they 
should be placed in a shady, airy room, or situation to dry gradual- 
ly; but before this is perfectly accomplished, it will be proper to 
clean and separate them, because, when quite dried, they become 
hard and brittle, and there is great danger of breaking off their 
claws: some may be separated into many complete roots, although 
they are so closely connected, as on a superficial observation, to 
have the appearance of only one large root. 
Nothing remains to be done till the return of the planting season, 
except to stow the sorts separately in bags or boxes, for the sake of 
convenience, in a dry room; in which state they will retain their 
vegetative power for two years, but will be much weakened if kept 
out of the ground till the second. 
Anemones. 
The appearance that indicates the proper time of taking up the 
roots of anemones, and their subsequent treatment, are the same as 
for ranunculuses, with only the following caution, viz: that as the 
roots are exceedingly brittle, it is necessary to handle them very 
gently upon dressing or cleaning away their fibres and the soil that 
adheres to them; however, should only small pieces break off, such 
should not be thrown away, as each will, in the course of two 
years, become a blooming root. 
The constitution of anemones undergoes considerable changes 
with age, which perhaps is, in a greater or smaller degree, the case 
vi^ith all other vegetables. The anemone will not last more than 
twelve or fifteen years* without degenerating, unless it be fre- 
* The ranunculus will last about twenty or twenty-five years in perfec- 
tion; it afterwards degenerates and perishes. Tulips and many other kinds 
of flowers of vigorous constitutions, will continue for a very long time in 
strength and beauty so long as to render it difficult, if not impossible, to 
ascertain the period of their duration. . 
