CULTURE OF THE RANUNCULUS. 
173 
that they had not consumed more than half a ton of hay throughout 
the whole year, none being used except when the river was frozen 
over. Hogs are also fed with this plant, and improve so well on it, 
that it is not necessary to give them any other sustenance till they 
are put up to fatten. This property of water-crow-foot is the more 
remarkable, as all the species have been deemed acrimonious, and 
some of them are without doubt highly so .”—Dons Millers Die. 
The ruteefolius, isopiroides, glacialis, alpestris, aconitifolius, 
pyrenaceus, amplexicaulis, parnassifolius, gramineus, acris flore- 
pleno, and repens flore-pleno, will thrive in any kind of soil, 
but moist situations suit them best. The parnassifolius is rather 
scarce, on account of its being so subject to the attack of snails aud 
slugs in the spring months. As these plants are generally grown 
in beds, the Bygrave slug-preventer, figured Vol. 1, page 445, 
will effectually prevent the depredations of these crawling enemies, 
and it could be fixed round the bed with little trouble. The soil in 
which they thrive best is equal parts of hazelly loam, vegetable 
mould and peat. The usual mode of propagation is by seeds. The 
gracilis, fumariaefolius, macropae talus, Illyricus, Krapfia, and Asiati- 
cus, will grow in any common garden soil, either in a wet or dry situ¬ 
ation ; these are usually increased by offsets from the roots, and oc¬ 
casionally form seeds. The Asiaticus is the common Ranunculus of 
florists, the numerous varieties and subvarieties of which make such 
a splendid show in our gardens in May and J line. 
To grow the garden Ranunculus to great perfection, it is necessary 
to subject it to a peculiar treatment. Good rich soil is indispensable 
and plenty of rotten manure is a desideratum, but certain rules must 
be attended to, or they will not flourish. 
1. The Ranunculus prefers a fresh loamy soil, rather inclined to 
be strong than otherwise; it also requires to be well manured. There¬ 
fore, in preparing a bed take out the old soil to the depth of one foot 
or more at the bottom of this trench, lay about six inches thickness 
of well rotted cow dung, then obtain some good rich loam, and break 
it well, mixing about one-eighth of very well rotted cow-dung with 
it; then fill the trench with the compost to six inches above the le¬ 
vel of the surrounding surface, forming a slope on each side from the 
middle. This should not be done later than the beginning of Octo¬ 
ber. 2. Plant all the broad-leaved varieties about the end of October 
or beginning of November, and cover them with some loug litter, to 
prevent their being damaged by the frost; but, if possible, delay 
planting the narrow leaved ones until February or March ; for the 
latter evidently suffer more from severe weather than the former, 
J 
