On the Cultivation of the Ranunculus. Iy7 
appear, progressively improved since that time, and I make no doubt 
will improve, for twelve or more years longer, notwithstanding the 
general oj)inion, that flowers will become exhausted if planted in the 
same soil long' tog-ether. 
The soil where I wished to plant my Ranunculuses, being an old ex- 
hausted kitchen-garden, I marked off a bed, four feet wide and forty- 
eight feet long, and completely remoA'ed the soil to the depth of eighteen 
inches, and then loosened the bottom of the trench, as deep as a spade 
woidd allow. T then tilled it with a light hazel -coloured loam, rather 
sandy, procm-ed from the driest part of an old meadow, the turf ha- 
ving been previously pared off four inches deep, as I consider nothing 
so prejudicial to the Ranunculus, as fresh turf The loam was well bea- 
ten over, and mixed with one-eighth part of three-year-old cow-dung ; 
when old cow-dung cannot be had, the loam should be used without 
any mixture, the flowers may not be so fine, but the roots will be much 
improved. The bed being filled to the level of the surrounding soil, I 
took out a ti-ench across the bed, to the depth of the compost, and four 
feet wide, and wheeled the soil to the end of the bed ; I then put eight 
inches of one-year-old cow-dung on the bottom, and trenched the next 
four feet over it, and so on, to the end of the bed, which was filled with 
the compost wheeled from the end. This was done in October, be- 
fore the mould was much wetted by winter rains ; and being laid in a 
ridge as steep as possible, ^vas allowed to lie until the beginning of 
March, when the bed ^^■as levelled, and that which was about eight 
inches above the path, M'as now almost even with it. I then procui-ed 
some very poor sandy soil, and covered the bed with it about an inch 
deep. 
The bed being thus prepared, I next marked it, the whole length, 
by means of a line, into twelve divisions, and with a lath, marked 
lines across, six inches apart. Having twelve divisions across the bed, 
I planted three sorts, four of each ; — the Ranunculus being a very un- 
certain plant in flowering. — by this way I generally secure two or three 
good flowers to each sort. 
In selecting the roots for a flowering bed of Ranunculuses, care 
should be taken to choose such roots as are of a medium size, with 
the cro^vn high and firm to the touch, and the claws placed regularly 
round the crovra. If the large roots are chosen, they generally divide 
into offsets, instead of flowering. 
Having placed the roots on the bed, I coA'er them hvo inches deep, 
with the same poor sandy soil, I planted them in, and having edged 
the bed, which will be about four inches above the level of the path, 
with a spade, I consider it completed. 
