THE 1XIA AND ALLIED PLANTS. 
17 
ing some means of intercepting its rays during 
the earlier part of the winter ; later in the 
season this need not be attempted. Another 
means of keeping the plants from growing so 
early as to be liable to be checked by the 
frosts and cold weather of early spring, is to 
plant in situations having a northern (or at 
least not a southern) aspect ; but the disad- 
vantage of a northern aspect is, that it is there 
impossible that the plants should derive full 
advantage from the sun late in the season. 
Unless in situations peculiarly favoured, 
and possessing the advantage of a dry subsoil, 
and sheltered aspect — conditions, however, 
rarely to be met with, there is not much 
probability of their succeeding planted in a 
promiscuous manner in the flower-beds. Ge- 
nerally speaking, the trouble and attention 
which would be necessary to render this course 
successful, would hardly be repaid by the 
results. This is not the case when they are 
grown together in beds, for then the whole 
preparation can be effected at one operation, 
and the subsequent trouble of attending them 
is considerably lessened. 
In preparing a bed, something like the fol- 
lowing course should be adopted : — In the 
first place, the natural soil should be taken 
out to the depth of fifteen or eighteen inches, 
the bottom being made quite even, and in- 
clining either to the front or on one side, so 
that the moisture, if any, may find its way to 
the nearest drain. In the bottom of the bed, 
lay six or eight inches of broken bricks, and 
on these a layer of rough turfy soil ; above 
this, the bed should be filled up with prepared 
compost, as good in quality as can be ob- 
tained. If the natural soil is light and open, 
a portion of it may be retained, say one half ; 
to this should be added, a fourth of good loam, 
and a fourth of turfy peat. If the natural 
soil is sandy, this mixture will be sufficiently 
porous ; but if it is of a closer texture, enough 
sand must be added to remedy the evil. As 
much of this mixture is to be filled in, as will 
raise the bed four or five inches above the 
level of the surrounding ground. In planting, 
the roots are to be covered over about three 
inches. There are two common methods of 
planting bulbous plants ; one is to make holes 
for each bulb of the proper depth, by blunt 
dibbles, which form a hole large enough to 
drop in the root ; in ordinary cases, this is an 
objectionable plan, especially if the soil is 
heavy, or rather wetter at the time of planting 
than is desirable ; the pressure of the dibble 
forms the sides and bottom of the holes more 
or less into a compact caked mass, which pro- 
portionately arrests the percolation of water, 
to the injury of the bulb; the other plan, 
which is a far preferable one, is to draw drills 
with the drill-hoe, of the depth required, in 
49. 
the bottom of which the bulbs are set at the 
regular and proper distances, and then care- 
fully covered by returning the soil again into 
its place, leaving the surface even, so that the 
roots may be all situated at an equal depth. 
This may be done in the fine dry weather of 
autumn. After planting, the beds are to be 
covered over with a thickness of about three 
inches of dry old tan, or dry sawdust half 
decayed ; either of them will serve as an 
efficient protector, not only against frost, but 
also, in a great measure, against wet. If the 
weather becomes very wet or very severe, 
some additional portable covering should be 
employed as long as it appears necessary. 
By the latter end of March, if the weather 
is at the time at all open, -part of the covering 
of tan or sawdust may be taken off, prepara- 
tory to the removal of the whole as soon as 
mild weather becomes fairly established in 
the month of April. If from the situation of 
the bed it would be preferable, for the sake 
of appearance, to remove the whole of this 
winter covering, and substitute a lighter one 
of moss in its place, for a short time, this 
might be done without detriment to the 
plants. 
At this time of year (spring and summer) 
the plants are benefited by all the sun they 
can obtain, therefore nothing should be per- 
mitted to shade them unnecessarily in any 
way. As they grow up, some of the taller 
kind may require to have their flower-stems 
tied up to neat stakes. If the weather is very 
hot when they are in bloom, they may be 
kept in perfection for a longer period by 
shading them, but whatever covering may be 
used for the purpose should be taken off as 
soon as the bloom is over, and the plants 
exposed to the full influence of the sun. It is of 
far greater importance towards a good bloom 
in the following year, to secure a perfect 
development and ripening of the leaves, under 
the highest amount of solar influence the 
plants can be subjected to, than it is to favour 
by any means the early growth of the roots 
during autumn or winter ; indeed the latter 
course is the most impolitic one that can be 
adopted. No further attention is required 
after the decay of the foliage until the ap- 
proach of winter, when the beds must be 
again covered in a manner similar to what 
has been already recommended. The beds 
do not require replanting every year, but once 
in three or four years will be sufficient. 
RAISING FROM SEEDS AND OFFSETS. 
The former is but a simple process. It is 
only necessary to procure the seeds when 
ripe, and sow them in the ordinary manner 
immediately afterwards, using broad shallow 
pans instead of pots, and the same kind of 
e 
