196 
THE FLORISTS JOURNAL. 
with loam. This is a very good plan, as the virtue of the manure 
drains into the soil, and when wanted for use they are more readily 
mixed : the loam should remain in the stack for twelve or eighteen 
months before it is used, when it can be broken up and sifted 
through a coarse sieve. The loam which is stacked without manure 
may be used with about one-fourth of cow manure of two years 
old, or it may be used the first year without any ; but the quantity 
of manure must depend upon the situation in which the tulips are 
to be grown, as I find that a situation like mine, where I am sur¬ 
rounded with buildings, and the atmosphere is charged with smoke, 
tulips, as well as other plants, require more stimulating with 
manure than they do in the country, where the air is pure ; they 
also require a lighter soil, as the vigour of the plant being reduced 
for want of pure air, and frequently by having the pores stopped 
with soot, every facility should be offered for the most extensive 
increase of the fibres, that the plant may be able to make a strong 
growth. It must, however, be borne in mind, that although a 
vigorous growth is desirable, it must not be so strong as to run 
the colours of the flowers. This is the grand art of tulip growing,— 
to retain all the delicacy and beauty of tint, and at the same time 
to have a fine, healthy, and bold growth. One thing I would par¬ 
ticularly recommend : not to make too great a mixture of various 
soils and manures, as I am of opinion that much injury arises from 
an indiscriminate mixture of soils, without knowing their chemical 
properties, as it is not improbable decompositions and new combina¬ 
tions frequently take place which we are totally unacquainted with, 
and which either neutralize the original good qualities that the 
soils may possess separately, or what is worse, produce a substance 
which is injurious to vegetation. I have been led to this conclu¬ 
sion from not deriving the benefit I calculated on from various 
mixtures of soils. I trust, however, that we shall not be long 
before we receive considerable assistance from the chemist, as the 
great advance which has been made in horticulture is attracting 
the attention of scientific men, not only to the component parts of 
soils, but to the individual properties of plants. 
The soil being ready, it should be put into the bed about the 
beginning of October, to allow time for it to settle ; it should lie 
in a ridge of sufficient height, that, when the mould is levelled 
down, it may be three or four inches above the walks, which should 
be raised rather above the other paid of the garden, and a little 
