86 
LADIES' FLO WEE GAKDENEK. 
CHAPTER IY 
BULBS AND TUBEROUS-ROOTED FLOWERS—PERENNIALS, 
SHALL give the bulbous and tuberous-rooted flowers a chap* 
ter to themselves. They are the earliest treasures of the 
flower-garden, and deserve especial notice. There was a pe¬ 
riod when two hundred pounds was offered for a hyacinth root, and 
even the enormous sum of six hundred pounds was given for a Sem¬ 
per Augustus tulip, by the Dutch tulip fanciers. But though a few 
florists are still particularly nice with respect to their bulbs, the 
time is past for paying such splendid prices; and such an inex¬ 
haustible variety offer themselves to our notice now, that we are 
somewhat puzzled in making a choice collection. Seed produces 
immense numbers yearly, and an infinite variety of new colors in 
each species. The florist is lost in admiration of the magnificent 
blooms which meet the eye in every flower-garden which is care¬ 
fully attended to. 
Bulbs love a mixture of garden soil and sand, well mixed, and 
dug about two spades deep to lighten it. Break the mould fine, 
and rake the surface even. Plant the bulbs four inches deep, 
and let them be six inches apart, placing the bulb with care into 
the dibbled hole, and pressing the earth gently round each. All 
bulbs should be replanted in September, and taken out of the 
ground when they have done flowering. When the leaves and 
stems decay, dig them neatly up, in dry weather, with your 
garden fork ; take the offsets carefully from the main root; spread 
them out to dry on a mat, and put them in a cool dry place to 
plant again in September. 
