THE FLORIST. 
175 
THE RANUNCULUS. 
{Continued.) 
BY DR. HORNER. 
Being desirous to compress, as far as possible, my remarks on the 
Ranunculus, I omitted, in my last communication, to dwell upon one 
or two points of practical importance, which I now wish to detail. 
It will constantly be found, that in the case of those plants which 
do not bloom, but, on the contrary, that look dwindling and ..out of 
health, the soil around their crowns is loose; hence, it is absolutely 
necessary, at least twice during their growth, to compress it firmly 
with the fingers immediately around them. This looseness of soil 
is produced, in the first instance, by the protrusion of the abundant 
foliage, and, at an after period, by worms, which make their holes 
close to, or even in the midst of, the plants. Let it, then, ever be 
borne in mind, that this operation has to be performed as soon as the 
foliage has fairly appeared above ground; and again about three 
weeks afterwards, when it has obtained its full growth. 
When circumstances will not admit of the bed being made in ** a 
somewhat shaded locality,” but, on the contrary, where it is subjected 
to the rays of the mid-day sun, it is important that it should be 
formed lengthways, from east to west; as thus, by erecting a tem¬ 
porary side awning, or shade, along its southern side, there will be 
afforded to it the necessary and welcome protection from a scorching 
sun. Such defence will not, of course, be required at all times, or in 
all seasons ; but during the continuance of sunny, droughty weather, 
its value will be fully appreciated by all who adopt it. To those 
who will have recourse to artificial watering in hot, dry weather, let 
this rule, at least, be imperative—never water the Ranunculus bed 
without at the same time shading it; otherwise it is mere waste of 
labour, and doubly hurtful to the plants. The turning yellow of the 
leaves, I have previously shewn, is, in nearly every instance, produced 
by the ill-judged practice of watering in hot weather; though, in a 
few cases, it is dependent upon looseness of the soil about the crown 
of the root; an event which is much more likely to happen when the 
tubers are planted in open drills than when they are set by dibbling, 
as I have recommended. 
It is only in dull, cloudy weather that watering can be had re¬ 
course to with benefit and impunity; but advantage may always be 
taken of even a slight shower to apply it as abundantly as may be 
required. For at this time the atmosphere itself is in a kindred 
state—an harmonious condition now subsisting between the moist¬ 
ened earth and roots, the leaves and the surrounding air, wholly op¬ 
posite to that which obtains in hot, droughty weather, on water 
being supplied copiously and artificially to the roots, whilst the leaves 
are exposed to a parching air— an incongruity of which the Ranunculus 
is especially impatient. Watering is, moreover, a greatly unneces¬ 
sary evil; for, if the bed be properly prepared, and a covering of 
