538 THE PLEASURE, OR [Oct. 
A good fresh loamy soil trenched about two feet deep, well pul- 
verized, and manured with a stratum of cowdung two years old, 
mixed with an equal portion of sound good earth; this stratum to 
be about six inches thick, and placed about four inches below the 
surface, is all the preparation or compost that appears necessary for 
this flower. 
The bed should be raised three or four inches above the sur- 
rounding paths, and its sides may be supported with an edging of 
boards to come up even with, or one inch higher than its surfacej 
this last for the sake of neatness, more than any particular utility 
it will be of to the plants. 
The plants intended for the principal bloom should be planted 
in it in the first week of this month or in September, as they do 
not blow quite so strong if removed late in the season: they should 
be planted at the distance of nine inches from each other, and the 
bed should be laid rather convex or rounding, to throw off excess 
of rain, but it will require no other covering than a very slight one 
in case of severe frosts. 
The bed should be kept free from weeds, and its surface stirred 
up a little if it inclines to bind. 
Carnations will prosper very well if treated in the above manner. 
The more indifferent kinds of pinks may be planted in the com- 
mon borders, &c. 
Planting Superb Tulip Roots. 
The most proper season for planting tulip roots in general is 
from the middle to the latter end of this month, and indeed I should 
prefer the middle to any other period, for about that time you will 
perceive a circle around the lower end of each bulb, disposed to 
swell, preparatory to the emission of fibres, and also a disposition 
at the upper end of some to show foliage. 
By keeping the roots out of ground after this predisposition to 
vegetation, they would be greatly weakened thereby. 
The situation for the best bed oi superior tulips, should be in an 
open airy part of the garden, protected at the same time from north 
and west winds by some distant shelter; when that is fixed upon, the 
ground should be marked out agreeably to its intended dimensions, 
and the soil taken out twenty inches deep; the bottom is then to be 
filled up with sound fresh earth ten inches thick, upon which is to 
be placed a stratum of two years old rotten cow-dung and earth of 
the above description, one half of each, well mixed together and 
laid on twelve inches thick; upon this is to be placed another stratum 
of the same kind of earth as that of the bottom; this latter is only 
to be two inches thick at the sides, and three in the middle of the 
bed, which will give it a small degree of convexity. 
The bed should be thus prepared a week or ten days previous to 
planting the roots, in order to give it time to settle, so as to be about 
two inches higher than the circumjacent paths; but if heavy rains 
intervene betv/een this preparation of the bed and planting, it will 
