THE TULIP. 
213 
soil levelled to the edge of the boarded border. 
In both cases strike a tight line down the 
centre of the bed, and make a slight drill or 
mark. Then remove the line six inches on 
one side of the mark, and make another mark ; 
then do the same six inches from the last, and 
again six inches from this ; you will then have 
four drills, which complete one side of the 
centre ; do the same on the other side, and 
the seven rows will be marked. Get a straight 
piece of wood, and by the help of another 
person begin by measuring six inches from the 
end as a guide for each, and press the wood 
gently into the soil at the exact distance, and 
by removing each end six inches, and pressing 
it into the soil only just enough to make a 
mark, you will complete the marking of the 
bed. It, however, saves a good deal of time 
and trouble, if, when the wooden edging is 
made, the place for the rows be notched or 
painted on the edge of the boarding ; the 
lines are then sure to be right, and the opera- 
tion is quicker as well as more accurate. The 
marks being made, the tulips — which should 
be arranged in boxes, whose partitions repre- 
sent the places Avhere the bulbs are to go — are 
to be planted. These boxes have seven par- 
titions the narrowest way, and an indefinite 
number the longest way, because it matters 
not how many of such boxes or drawers are 
used. The convenient size is about ten in 
length, as larger than that is inconvenient ; 
three of these would do for a bed of thirty 
rows, and they should be numbered in front 
from 1 to 30 ; and each of the numbers 
represents seven to cross the bed. In the 
book there must be a corresponding record, 
something like the following : — 
FIRST ROW. 
No. 1. Ceres blanche, 
2. Rubens, 
3. Polyphemus, 
4. Comte di Verginnes, 
5. Polyphemus, 
6. Rubens, 
7. Ceres blanche, 
Rose 
Byblomen 
Bizarre 
Rose 
Bizarre 
Byblomen 
Rose. 
SECOND ROW. 
No. I 
2 
3 
4 
Bienfait, Byblomen 
Strong's King, Bizarre 
Rosa blanca, Rose 
Ambassador d'Hollande, Byblomen 
o. Rosa blanca, Rose 
6. Strong's King, Bizarre 
7. Bienfait, Byblomen. 
THIRD ROW. 
No. 1. Globe, Bizarre 
2. Madame Yestris, Rose 
3. Siam, Byblomen 
4. Duke of Clarence, Bizarre 
5. Siam, Byblomen 
6. Madame Vestris Rose 
7. Globe, Bizarre. 
In this way would be recorded the contents of 
all the rows up to thirty, or any larger num- 
ber : it is only necessary to increase the 
number of boxes or drawers. The bed being 
ready, and marked for the bulbs, the planter 
and assistant should be one on each side the 
bed. The principal should have the boxes on 
his side, and having planted, or rather placed 
(for the bulb is only to be gently pressed into the 
soil where the lines cross each other) the first, 
second, third, and fourth himself, he should 
hand the fifth, sixth, and seventh to his assist- 
ant ; and so they go down the bed to the last 
row. If the bed be boarded, put on the three- 
inch top all round, and fill up with the com- 
post, even with the top of the additional board, 
which forms the best guide : if the soil is put 
on a little round, it is none the worse for it, as 
it shoots the water to the sides in a heavy fall 
of wet ; and while the side bulbs are by the 
slight rise left about three inches below the 
surface, the stronger ones towards the centre 
are somewhat deeper, which is none the worse 
for these. If there is no boarding, and no three- 
inch border to guide, place a few pegs here 
and there, just three inches above the surface 
on the side, and four inches above the surface 
in the middle, as guides in putting on the soil. 
The best way is to sift it on through a coarse 
sieve, but it may be done with a spade, care 
being taken that the bulbs are not disturbed 
by the process. It has been the practice of 
some, and we have frequently done it our- 
selves, to put a cone of silver sand over every 
bulb. It is of no use except at taking up time, 
when it is a sort of guide to the spot where 
a bulb ought to be found, which in cases where 
they may partly fail, and only leave an offset, 
may be of use ; but as careful persons will 
take up their bulbs before the stems have 
rotted down, or at least shrivelled more than 
half way down, it is only good for a mark. 
The tulip is no better in sand than in any 
other clean compost. When the surface is 
adjusted, and the bulbs are covered three 
inches, and the middle ones to four inches, the 
bed may be left. 
MANAGEMENT AFTERWARDS TILL BLOOM. 
The tulip is so hardy, that many persons 
leave the bed without any kind of protection 
till the plants are up ; but in severe frosts, 
although the plant may not suffer, the embryo 
flower may, and often does : the effects are 
blights, split petals, deeply notched edges, dis- 
colorations, and occasionally damage to the 
bulb itself. Some varieties are very suscep- 
tible of damage, though not easily killed. To 
make sure of a fine bloom, frost ought not to 
reach the bulb ; and the moi^ the growth is 
advanced, the more mischievous does the effect 
prove. If we therefore desired to be free from 
the chance of a bad bloom, we should exclude 
the frost from the inou ?nt of planting, by 
