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A TREATISE ON THE

GfiLTURE OF Flower Si

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PREFACE.

np H E following Treatife was under-
taken by the Author at the particular
requeft of many refpeftable Florifts, who
have fufFered repeated lofles, and have
been difcouraged in their favourite pur-
fuit of cultivating the finer flowers ; as
well as of others, who have been deterred
from entering with fpirit into this mofl
rational and pleafmg amufement, for
want of a fuitable guide, or diredor, to
inftru6l them in the rudiments of the
art ; pointing out, on the one hand,
the moft approved methods of culture

A yet

ii PREFACE.

yet difcovered, and, on the other, guard-
ing them againft the pernicious confe-
quences arifmg from improper modes of
treatment.

The Author, with much diffidence,
fubmits the following pages to the peru-
fal of fuch ; and at the fame time ear-
neftly folicits the candour and indulgence
of the reader, in excufingany inaccuracies
they may be found to contain, as his
objeft, in the publication, is to afford
what little afliftance he is capable of, to
the inexperienced, without arrogating to
himfelf any fuperior qualifications for a
work of this nature, beyond others who
perhaps may be more capable of exe-
cuting it ; but who, however, have not
yet thought proper to favour the public

with

PREFACE. iii

with their opinions and experience on
the fubje6l.

The Author is not acquainted with any
publication that treats feparately, and
particularly, of thofe flowers that are
deemed mofl: worthy of cultivation by
Florifts ; there are, indeed, treatifes on
the culture of particular flowers, as of
the Hyacinth, Auricula, &c. fome of
which are written in foreign languages,
and are confequently of but little ufe
to the Englifli reader ; others are to be
found in our own tongue, by different
authors ; but their works are either volu-
minous and expenfive, or their informa-
tion inadequate to the end propofed.

However imperfeft, in point of fcience
or language, the following work may

appear.

iv PREFACE.

appear, it has, at leaft, the advantage of
experience to recommend it, an expe-
rience founded on long and extenfive
pra6lice, and clofe attention to the fub-
je6l; and the fuccefs refulting from the
methods hereafter defcribed has been, in
fomemeafure, confirmed by the concurrent
teftimonies of the mofl eminent Florifts,
both of this country and abroad.

But notwithftanding the long and con-
tinued attention which feveral in England
and Holland have given to this branch of
horticulture, the art of cultivating plants
in general, and flowers in particular, is
yet fo imperfeftly underflood, and may
probably long remain to be fo, that an
extenfive field for improvement and dif-
covery prefents itfelf to the intelligent

and

PREFACE. V

and exploring genius, who is, or may
be engaged in this purfuit.

So much likewife depends on foil,
fituation, climate, and various other at-
tending circumftances, that an individual
can fcarcely exped to arrive at any
confiderable degree of perfe6lion in this
art, merely from his own obfervation and
experience ; it is, perhaps, not to be
obtained in any other manner than by a
comparifon of the fuccefs which may
refult from the methods and praftice of
different perfons refiding in fituations
totally diffimilar to each other : if fuch
would mutually communicate their ideas,
it would evidently tend to elucidate a
fubje6l very interelling to the admirers
of this clafs of the produaions of na-
3 ture;

vi PREFACE.

ture ; for want of fuch communications,
many ufeful acquifitions and difcoveries
have been loft to fociety, either by fmk-
ing into oblivion, with the parties in
whom they originated, or by being im-
properly circumfcribed within too nar-
row limits, have fallen ftiort of thofe
extenfive improvements which they were
capable of producing.

It is impoffible to lay down any rules
on the prefent fubjeft that will always
fucceed when reduced to praftice ; they
will, on the contrary, be liable to fail
•under peculiar circumftances, fuch as the
irregularities of weather, difference of
feafons, the long duration and extremes
of heat and cold, and other unavoidable
cafualties, which are beyond the reach of

human

PREFACE.

Vll

human prudence to forefee, or guard
againft at all times ; all that can be rea-
fonably expefted or propofed here, is, to
point out fuch modes of treatment as
have been generally found to fucceed
beft, without prefuming to fay that any
of the rules are infallible, or incapable
of improvement.

INTRODUCTION.

T^HE finer Flowers, more particularly
demanding our attention, are

The Hyacinth,
The Tulip,
The Ranunculus,
The Anemone,
The Auricula,
The Carnation,
The Pink, and
The Polyanthus.

Thefe are feparately treated of under their

refpedive heads ; but for a more particu-

B lar

INTRODUCTION.

lar defcription of the feveral varieties of
each fpecies, the reader is referred to the
printed Catalogue publifhed annually by
the Author of this Treatife, containing
the name, colour, and price, of the va-
rious articles, which could not be properly
introduced into any permanent work of
this kind, on account of the continual
changes and alterations that take place,
both in the value of the articles, which
is governed by their novelty, fcarcity,
or merit, and alfo by the introdu6lion of
new forts, and extinftion of others.

The following fhort account, or hiftory,
of the cultivation of Flowers, may not be
deemed foreign to our purpofe ; but to
trace back to their origin, the Flowers
treated of in the following work, through
their various ftages of cultivation and
improvement, and to aflert with abfolute
certainty, of what particular country they

are

INTRODUCTION. 3

are natives, would be a talk too difficult
to accomplifh, and the refult of the moft
affiduous inquiry, would, in all proba-
bility, in the end amount to little more
than conje6lure ; fo divided are authors
in their opinions on the fubjeft, and fo
enveloped in obfcurity are the ideas of
ancient writers, particularly with refpedl
to the Hyacinth, that inftead of commu-
nicating any ufeful information, they tend
rather to confound and bewilder the
inquirer.

It mufl therefore fuffice, juft to point
out the moft natural and reafonable
conclufions on this head, and fimply to
ftate what are the moft generally received
opinions of latter times on the fubje6l;
in doing which it would be improper to
extend the difcuffion beyond the narrow
limits to which a ftrid attention to
authenticity will neceflarily confine it.

The

4 INTRODUCTION.

-^■^— ^~— — ^ "^

The Hyacinth is of the clafs and order

Hexandria Monogynia ; according to

Linnaeus, it is the Hyacinthus orientalis ;

five, Hyacinthus coroUis infundibulifor-

mibus femifexfidis, ball ventricolis : i. e.

Oriental Hyacinth ; or Hyacinth with

funnel (haped corols or petals, cleft half

way into fix parts, and fwelled at the

bafe. The Oriental Hyacinth, according

to Linnaeus, is a native of Afia and

Africa ; it is alfo called oriental by

Diofcorides, who wrote during, or foon

after., the reign of Vefpafian : Cafpar

Bauhine refers to a work entitled Befler's

Hortus Eyflettenlis, the firft part of which

was publiflied in 1613, the lafl in 1640,

for three double varieties of the Oriental

Hyacinth; but the firft double Hyacinth

known in Holland, was raifed from

feed, towards the end of the laft, or

l^eginning of the prefent century, by

Pete^

INTRODUCTION. 5

Peter Voorhelm/ one of the earlieft and
moft celebrated Dutch Florifts, and from
which, all the fine double varieties we
now poflefs, may be traced through a
courfe of continued cultivation and gra-
dual improvement.

So great was the value of a capital
new double Hyacinth confidered formerly
in Holland, that two thoufand Dutch
florins, amounting to upwards of 150I.
fterling, was aftually given for a fmgle
root.^ The word Hyacinth is of very
ancient date, and of uncertain derivation.

The Tulip is of the fame clafs and
order as the Hyacinth ; according to
Linnaeus, it is the Tulipa Gefneriana;
five, Tulipa flore ere6lo, foliis ovato-
lanceolatis : z. e. Gefnerian Tulip ; or

* Vide the Marquis de St. Simon's treatife on the
Hyacinth, printed at Amfterdam, 1768.

P Vide George Voorhelm's treatife on the Hyacinth,
printed at Haerlem, 1773.

Tulip

6 INTRODUCTION.

Tulip with an ereft Flower, and ovate
fpear-fhaped Leaves, The Tulip, accord-
ing to Gefner, is a native of Cappadocia,
from whence it was introduced into
Europe, in the year 1559; it is, however,
certain, that theprefent improved varieties
of the Tulip have been obtained by art,
within the laft and prefent century; and
it is chiefly to the exertions of Dutch,
French, and Flemifli Florifts, that we are
indebted, for the perfeQion to which we
fee the Tulip at prefent arrived.

The rage for Tulips was fo prevalent
in Holland about one hundred and fifty
years ago, that it is faid, property to the
amount of many hundred pounds (lerling,
was given for a fingle root; this extraor-
dinary traffic was, however, foon checked
by the interference of the legiflature, who
forefaw the ruinous confequences that
muft inevitably follow an infatuation of

that

INTRODUCTION. 7

that kind to individuals, and deemed it
expedient to enaft, that no Tulip, or other
flower root, fhould, in future, be fold for
any fum exceeding about fifty pounds
flerling. The word Tulip is faid to be
derived from the Turkifli word, Tulipan,
fignifying a cap, or head drefs.

The Ranunculus is of the clafs and
order Polyandria Polygynia ; according to
Linnaeus, it is the Ranunculus Afiaticus;
five. Ranunculus foliis ternatis biterna-
tifque, foliolis trifidis incifis, caule inferne
ramofo : i. e. Afiatic Ranunculus ; or
Ranunculus with trifoliate, and twice
trifoliate leaves, whofe leaflets are trifid
and cut, the flem branchins: at the
bottom.

The Afiatic, or as it is more commonly
called, the Perfian Ranunculus, according
to Linnaeus, is a native of Afia and
Mauritania: it is faid to have been intro-
duced

8 INTRODUCTION.

duced into Europe from Syria, at the
time of the Crufades ; but in this, as well
as other Flowers, we find the mofl confi-
derable improvements made within the
lafl fifty years, both on the continent of
Europe, and in England. The word
Ranunculus is fuppofed to be derived
from Rana, a Frog; this derivation proba-
bly originated from the known partiality
of the Ranunculus to a cool and moifl
lituation, while in a fi:ate of vegetation,
as the plant does not appear to have any
refemblance in its fliape to that animal.

The Anemone is of the fame clafs and
order as the Ranunculus ; according to
Linnaeus, it is the Anemone coronaria;
five, Anemone foliis radicalibus ternato
decompofitis, involucro foliofo : i. e.
Crown Anemone ; or Anemone with
radical Leaves three-decompound, and a
leafy involucrum.

The

INTRODUCTION. 9

The Anemone, according to Linnaeus,
is a native of the fouth-eaft of Europe;
but we are alfo informed by another
author,*" that M. Bachelier, a French gen-
tleman, brought it from America to
France, in the courfe of the laft century,
where he cultivated and very much im-
proved the fpecies, fince which it has
attained its prefent degree of perfeftion,
by the continued attention of Florifts to
its culture : the Englilh, however, can
claim little or no {hare in the advance-
ment or improvement of this flower ; for
all the varieties of double Anemonies
we pofTefs in England, have been import-
ed from Holland, France, or Flanders.
The word Anemone is derived from a
Greek word, fignifying the Wind, very
applicable to this flower, as its petals are
fo foft and flexible, and its feed fo light

" Vide G. Voorhelm's treatife on the Hyacinth.

C and

lo INTRODUCTION.

and downy, that they are agitated by the
moft triflinor breezes.

The Auricula is of the clafs and order
Pentandria Monogynia ; according to Lin-
naeus, it is the Auricula Urfi ; five. Primula
foliis feratis glabris : i. e. Bear's Ear ; or
Auricula with fmooth ferrated leaves.

The Auricula, according to Linnaeus,
is a native of the alps of Switzerland and
Styria ; it is called Sanicula Alpina, by
Bauhine, Gefner, Sec. it owes its prefent
improved flate, principally to the afliduity
and attention of Englifli Florifts to its
culture, who have, from the feed of a
flower, imported from Holland about
fifty years fince, produced, by continued
cultivation, almofl: all the varieties we
now can boaft. The Dutch and French
have extended their improvement of this
flower, little or no further than to pro-
duce a numerous variety of yellow, brown,

and

INTRODUCTION. ii

and other fhaded forts, greatly Inferior to
the beautiful kinds raifed in this country.

The words Auricula Urfi, fignify Bear's
Ear ; the plant is fo called from the
refemblance its leaves have to the ears
of that animal.

The Carnation is of the clafs and
order Decandria Digynia ; according to
Linnseus, it is theDianthus Caryophyllus ;
five, Dianthus floribus foiitariis, fquamis
calycinis fubovatis breviflirais, corollis
crenatis: i. e. Clove Dianthus; or Dian-
thus with folitary flowers ; fcales to the
calyx rather oval and very fliort ; the
petals crenated or notched.

The Carnation, according to Linnaeus,
is a native of Italy ; the fingle Clove
Carnation is, however, to be found grow-
ing wild on the walls of Rochefter Caftle ;
but whether, from that circumftance, it
ought to be deemed a native of this

country.

12 INTRODUCTION.

country, we pretend not to determine;
it feems rather a difputable point, and
therefore, after having related the fimple
faft, we leave the difcuflion to thofe who
may be able to decide upon it with more
certainty.

The Carnation has attained its prefent
degree of perfeftion, by the unremitting
attention of Florifls to its culture from
feed, the only line in which the fpecies
of any plant, or flower, can poflibly re-
ceive improvement or variety.

The principal, or moft generally
elleemed, forts of Carnations, cultivated
in England, till within the lafl fifty years,
were called Burfters, becaufe their blof-
foms*^ confifted of a double pod;" the
interior one being in the centre of the
other, and containing likewife a great
number of petals, by its fwelling caufed

«> Corolla. • Calyx.

the

INTRODUCTION.

the exterior pod, or calyx, to burft; the
bloflbms of thefe Burfters, when properly
managed, and in full bloom, were not
lefs than four or five inches in diameter,
and the centre of each was well filled up
with the petals of the interior pod, fo as
to make a very uniform and noble ap-
pearance; but it required much care and
Ikill to caufe them to blow in perfeftion.
The attention of the Florill was di-
verted from the cultivation of Burfters,
by the introduftion of a new defcription
of Carnations from France, about fifty
years fmce ; thefe were denominated
Whole-Blowers, in oppofition to the
former term of Burfters ; they were alfo
called French Flakes ; their bloflbms, in
general, were furniflied with only one
pod or calyx, which, by a little manage-
ment on the approach of bloom, was
preferved in an entire ftate ; the culture

of

14 INTRODUCTION.

of them was, at the fame time, attended
with much lefs trouble, in other refpe6ls,
than that of the former, and they foon
obtained a decided preference.

But the improvement, with refpeft to
the edge of the petal, is of ftill later
date ; the firft forts, both of Burflers and
Whole-Blowers, being poflefled of a
fringe, or ferrature, in that part, like
that of the Pink ; this has, however, been
completely overcome of late years, and
thofe poffefTed of that property, are not
now efteemed to be of the capital forts.

The word Carnation is, probably, de-
rived from Carnes, the natural flefli
colour.

The Pink is of the fame clafs and
order as the Carnation ; according to
Linnaeus, it is the Dianthus Arenarius;
live, Dianthus caulibus fubunifloris, fqua-
mis calycinis ovatis obtufis, corollis

multifidis,

INTRODUCTION. 15

multifidis, foliis linearibus; i. c. Sand
Dianthus; or, Dianthus with moftly one
flower on the ftem, oval obtufe fcales to
the calyx, the petals cut into many
points, and the leaves linear or narrow.

This Pink, according to Linnaeus, is a
native of the colder parts of Europe; it
is alfo found in the north of England;
but the improved varieties of what were
formerly called Pheafant Eyes, are the
fubjed of that part of the following work
where Pinks are treated of, having now
the preference in this and other countries ;
thefe fo materially differ, in fome of their
properties, from the original fpecies, that
it is not eafy to afcertain to which of them,
as defcribed by Linnaeus, they mofl; pro-
perly belong; there is, however, reafon
to believe, that the arenarius of Linnaeus,
is the original Pheafant Eye, and as fuch
it is given in this place.

The

i6 INTRODUCTION.

The great improvements made in the
Pink, are of very recent date, and hither-
to chiefly, if not wholly, confined to this
kingdom; in fhort, we may venture to
aflert, that a Pink called Major's Lady
Stoverdale, raifed from feed in the
fouthern parts of England, by the perfon
whofe name it bears, was the firft that
deferved to be clafled amongft fuch as
are now held in efteem by Florifts ; it
was raifed about twenty years fmce, and
was the firft Pink pofleffed of that fingular
and beautiful ornament called a Lacing,
which is a continuation of the colour of
the eye, round the white or broad part of
the petal, that gives it a moft elegant
appearance.

Very little progrefs has yet been made
towards diverting the Pink of its fringed
or ferrated edge; but that effeft having
been produced in the Carnation, we may

reafonably

INTRODUCTION. 17

reafonably hope, that it will in time take
place in the Pink, and that we fhall be
able to obtain tall ftrong ftem'd Pinks,
with large handfome bloflbms, confifling
of petals as perfe61;ly entire on the
edge as thofe of the Carnation or the
Rofe.

The word Pink is derived from the
Dutch, in which language it fignifies
an Eye.

The Polyanthus is of the fame clafs
and order as the Auricula, and has been
confidered, by different authors, to have
originated from different fpecies of the
Primula; fome fuppofe the Cowflip,
others the Oxflip ; but the author of the
Flora Londinenfis, treating of the Prim-
rofe, confiders it as the original parent
of the Polyanthus, to whom we refer
the reader for his reafons, which he gives
at large in that excellent publication.

D The

i8 INTRODUCTION.

It is aflerted, however, by fome, that
the Polyanthus is a native of Turkey,
v^here it may ftill be found in great
beauty, &c.^ To whatever plant it owes
its origin, its prefent highly improved
ftate is doubtlefs the effeft of long and
afliduous culture, which, like the Auri-
cula, Carnation, and Pink, has been
chiefly confined to this country. The
beautiful yellow of the Cowflip, which
it did not formerly poffefs in the fame
degree of perfe£lion it now does, has, in
the opinion of fome, been communicated
to it, within the prefent century, by
impregnation ; it has likewife received
very confiderable improvement in its
other properties, within the laft twenty or
thirty years ; and the forts known fifty
years ago are not now in cultivation, being

^ Vide Hanbury's Complete Body of Planting and
Gardening, printed at London, 1771 and 1772.

negle6led

INTRODUCTION. 19

neglefted in proportion to the fucceflive
acquifition of new and fuperior varieties.
The word Polyanthus, or Polyanthos,
is derived from the Greek, and implies
many flowers.

It may not be improper to give fome
explanation to fuch of the botanical
terms, defcriptive of the component
parts of a flower, as are occaiionaJly men-
tioned in the following treatife; but it
does not appear neceflary to explain
every technical term ufed by Botanifts,
in their defcriptions of the conflituent
parts of a plant or flower, in this work,
as it is not intended to comprize a fyfl:em
of Botany.

Botanical Terms explained, viz.

I. The Peduncle, is the foot-ftalk of
a flower, proceeding from the main

flem,

20 INTRODUCTION.

ftem, and fupporting the Corolla, as
in the Auricula, Polyanthus, &c.

II. The CalyXj or flower cup, the part
which guards and fupports the Corolla,
as in the Carnation, Pink, &c.

III. The Corolla, the flower or bloflbm,
properly fo called, confifting of one
or more petals. When this is entire,
it is called Monopetalous, or a Corolla
of one petal, as in the Auricula and
Polyanthus ; but when it is divided
quite to the bafe, into two or more
parts, each part is called a Petal; thus
the Tulip is faid to have fix petals:
in double flowers they are extremely
numerous, and the Corolla of fuch
may be termed Polypetalous,

IV. The Petal, or fingle floral leaf.

V. The Unguis, or lower, long, narrow
part of a petal, called the Bafe, or
Claw.

VI. The

INTRODUCTION. 21

VI. The Lamina, or upper, broad,
fp reading part of a petal, called the
Plate.

VII. The Limb, border, or upper broad,
fpreading part of a Monopetalous
Corolla.

VIII. The Tube, or lower, narrow,
tubular part of the fame.

IX. The Stamen, Stamens, or Stamina,
if more than one, confifts of two
parts, viz. the Filament, and the
Anther, or Summit, which it fupports.

X. The Anther, contains the Pollen,
or Farina.

XL The Pericarpium, or Seed-VefleL
XIL Radix, the Root : vide Plate 4.
and its page of reference, for various
defcriptions of flower roots.

TH E

THE

FLORIST S DIRECTORY.

On hyacinths.

DOUBLE Hyacinths, which are
much more beautiful and eftima-
ble than thofe which produce fingle flow-
ers, are, like the latter, known by the
general diftin6tion of Reds, Whites, and
Blues, with a few kinds of Yellow,
more recently obtained from feed. In
many inftances, Double Hyacinths have

the

24 HYACINTHS.

the peculiar advantage of a beautiful
contrail of colour in the eye, or centre
of their bells, which the fingle forts can-
not poffefs.

The roots'" of Double Hyacinths may-
be planted at any time from the middle
of Oftober to the middle of November ;
if it is done earlier the plants will appear
above ground in the middle of winter,
which will render them liable to material
injury from fevere frofts ; or if it is de-
ferred later, the roots will be weakened
by their natural tendency to vegetate,
manifefted by a fwelling of the circle
from whence the fibres proceed, which
will be foon followed by an a6lual ap-
pearance of the points of the fibres, toge-
ther with that of the foliage at the other
extremity of the root, in the form of a
fmall obtufe cone of a greenifh colour.

* Or bulbs.

The

HYACINTHS. 25

The bed on which they are to be
planted fhould be fituated in rather a dry
and airy part of the garden, a fouthern
afpeft is to be prefered, fhekered on the
North and Eaft by trees or buildings, at
a diflance from it proportionable to their
height ; if it is a common garden wall
or hedge, the diflance of fix feet will be
fufficient. Care muft however be taken
to avoid the drip from trees, which is
found to be prejudicial.

When the fituation is determined on,
the dimenfions of the bed fhould be
marked out, and the foil entirely taken
away to the depth of at leafl two feet ;
the earth in the bottom muft then be
dug up and comminuted, or pulverized,
one fpit or nine inches deeper, and the
fpace above filled up with a compofl con-
fiflins[ of the foUowino- inorredients in
the annexed proportions, viz.

E One

26 HYACINTHS.

One third coarfe fea, or river fand.

One third frefh found earth.

One fourth rotten cow-dung, at leaft
two years old.

Earth of decayed leaves for the
remainder.
The frefh found earth of the compofl
fhould be of the beil quality that the
garden or adjacent country produces ;
it (hould be entirely free from noxious
vermin of every defcription, particularly
the hard yellow wire-worm, which is
about an inch long, and prevails in
moft parts of the kingdom ; it is ex-
tremely deflruftive to all kinds of tender
vegetables, and many of the hardy forts,
by penetrating to, and eating out the
heart of the bulb, and it fometimes pro-
ceeds up the ftem of the plant. The
only fure method of avoiding thefe worms
is to examine the foil very minutely, and

if

HYACINTHS. 27

if it contains any, to pick them out and
deflroy them. Some make ufe of rot-
ten tan as an ingredient in the compoft,
but it generally retains fome degree of
aftringency, which is pernicious to de-
licate flowers.

The ingredients before mentioned are
to be well mixed and incorporated, and
about a fortnight previous to plantings
the bed fhould be filled up with the
compoft to about four inches above the
level of the path on the fouth or front
fide, and ten inches on the north lide>
fo as to form a regular flope, or incli^
nation towards the fun.

On planting the roots, the furface of
the bed (hould be covered with a little
frefh fandy earth about one inch thick,
raked perfeftly fmooth and even, and
have the exad fituation for every bulb
marked upon it, as on Plate 5, Fig. 1.

The

28 HYACINTHS.

The plan, as defcribed by the plate,
on minute inveftigation, will appear fu-
perior to any other that can be devifed
for elegance and fimplicity ; each bulb,
thofe of the outfide rows excepted, will
be in the centre of a hexagon, and the
whole at equal diftances from each other.
The w^idth of the furface of the bed is
four feet, the fix rows acrofs it are eight
inches afunder, and the two outfide
rows are each four inches from the fides
of the bed ; confequently the fpace be-
tween the centre of each bulb is about
nine inches and a quarter ; each row
contains three bulbs, and the letters R.
W. B. denote the colour of the flower to
be placed there, viz. Red, White, or
Blue ; under thefe three heads all Hya-
cinths may be comprehended, except a
few forts of Yellow, which may be claffed
with the Whites.

On

HYACINTHS. 29

On planting Hyacinths, a little clean
fand fhould be placed underneath, and
likewife upon the roots, to prevent the
earth adhering too clofe to them; the
whole are then to be covered with found
frefli fandy earth, from three to four
inches deep, according to the fizeof the
bulb ; when this is completed, the bed
will be about eight inches above the level
of the walk on the fouth or front fide,
and about fourteen inches on the north
fide ; it will look neater and have a bet-
ter effeft if it is fupported on all fides
with a flrong frame of thick boards, or
brickwork ; and in order to preferve it
from very heavy rains or fevere frofts,
it fhould be hooped over, and mats or
canvafs fhould be placed at hand ready
to cover the bed on fuch emergencies ;
but it will not be neceflary to defend it
from moderate rains or flisrht frofts : for

too

30 HYACINTHS.

■■ ■ ■'

too frequent and long covering will de-
prive the roots of the due aftion and in-
fluence of the air, which ought to be avoid-
ed as much as pofTible : it were even bet-
ter to run the hazard of incurring a flight
injury by the omifTion of covering on
fome occafions, than overdo it to the
certain detriment of the plants.

If froft is permitted to penetrate fo far
into the foil as to reach the bulbs, efpe-
cially about the time that the plants be-
gin to appear above ground, it will pro-
duce a fingular effeft, by caufmg fome
of them to fhoot forth or difcharge their
flems and bloflbms ; but if the roots
become entirely frozen through, they
are in danger of being deftroyed.

The earlier forts will begin to open
and fhew colour about the beginning of
April; it will be proper to fcreen fuch
from the too powerful effefts of the fun,

which.

HYACINTHS. 31

which, if not prevented, would bleach
and tarnifh their colours, particularly
the Reds and deep Blues; but if they
are properly defended from it, their
colours will be preferved, and they will,
in fome meafure, be kept back, fo as to
be in full bloom with the later forts,
efpecially if the roots of the early forts
have been planted about an inch deeper
than the reft : it is a very delirable
objeft to have an uniform bloom.

It will be neceffary to fupport the
ftems, as they advance in height ; for
this purpofe, fmall fticks or wires,
painted green, fhould be forced into
the ground, immediately behind the
bulbs, either in an ereft pofition, or
leaning a little backwards, to which the
ftems are to be rather loofely tied, with
fmall pieces of green worfted, as foon as
they begin to bend, or are in danger of
3 breaking

32 HYACINTHS.

breaking with the weight of the bells;'*
this operation muft be repeated as they
advance in height, for it is impoflible to
do it at one time fo as to anfwer the
purpofe. When the greater part of the
bed appears in colour, a covering, or
awning, fhould be erefted over it, and
the path in front : the awning fhould
confifl of a flrong frame of wood, ten
feet high in the centre, and feven feet at
the fides, covered with Irifh or Scotch
fheeting, or Ruffia Duck, which will
effeftually keep out rain, and admit a
great degree of light ; it fhould come
down clofe to the bed, on the north fide,
in order to preferve it from cold winds,
which are prejudicial to the bloom.

The covering fliould be fo conftrufted,
by means of lines and puUies, as to be
eafily and expeditioufly rolled up, or let
'' The Florifts ufual term for the Corolla of the Hyacinth.

down,

HYACINTHS. 33

down, as occafion requires, fee Plate 5,
Fig. 2) to afford the plants the full
benefit of light and air, at all favourable
opportunities ; that is to fay, when the
air is mild, and light clouds intervene,
fo as to blunt the fun's ray. This fome-
times, and, indeed, often happens to be
the cafe from feven to nine o'clock in
the morning, and from four to fix in the
evening, at which times the fun has alfo
lefs power than in the middle of the day.

A bed of Hyacinths never requires
to be watered at any period ; the rains
that happen after planting are generally
more than fufhcient, both for the roots
and the bloom; and after the bloom is
over they are rather prejudicial than
otherwife, except when very moderate.

Although covering in the manner

defcribed, prefents and exhibits the

bloom to the greateft advantage, yet it

F evidently

34 HYACINTHS.

evidently has a tendency to weaken and
injure the bulbs, and ought not, there-
fore, to be continued more than two or
three weeks at mod ; but as foon as the
general bloom declines, the bed fliould
be immediately expofed to the open air,
and the mats and hoops fhould be re-
placed, as before, to keep off heavy
rains.

It is the praftice in Holland to take up
the bulbs about three weeks or a month
after bloom, in the following manner :
as foon as the plants begin to put on a
yellowifh decayed appearance, they take
up the roots and cut off the ftem and
foliage clofe to, or within half an inch
of the bulb, but leave the fibres, Sec,
attached to it ; they then place the bulbs
again on the fame bed fideways, with
their points towards the North, and cover
them about half an inch deep, with

dry

HYACINTHS. 35

dry earth or fand, in the form of a ridge,

or little cone, over each : in this ftate

they remain about three weeks longer,

and dry or ripen gradually ; during

which, as much air is admitted as pof-

fible, but the bed is preferved from

heavy rains, and too hot a fun ; at

the expiration of this period, the bulbs

are taken up, and their fibres, which

are become nearly dry, gently rubbed

off; they are then placed in a dry

room for a few days, and are afterwards

cleaned from any foil that adheres to

them, their loofe fkins taken off, with

fuch oflFsets as may be eafily feparated.

When this dreffing is finilhed, the

bulbs are wrapped up in feparate pieces

of paper, or buried in dry fand, where

they remain till the return of the feafon

for planting.

Another,

36 HYACINTHS.

Another, and lefs troublefome, mode
of treatment after bloom, though per-
haps more hazardous, is to keep the bed
airy, and rather dry, till the flems and
foliage appear nearly dried up or con-
fumed ; this will feldom happen to be
the cafe in lefs than two months ; the
bulbs are then to be taken up, cleaned
from the fibres, foil, &c. and preferved
in fand or papers as before direded.

Offsets may be planted a few days
earlier than the large roots, in an open
part of the garden, in rows about two
inches deep, upon a bed raifed fix or
eio:ht inches above the common level,
confifl;ing of a fandy foil, commi-
nuted, or pulverized, eighteen inches
deep ; the furface of the bed fliould be
made rather convex, or rounding, fo as
to throw off heavy rains ; no further

attention

HYACINTHS. 37

attention is neceflary, except to flir the
furface of the bed occafionally, keep it
free from weeds, and preferve it from
very fevere froft. The proper time to
take them up, &c. is already pointed
out, being the fame as for large roots.

Offsets, if preferved in health, will
bloom weakly the fecond year; but by
the third, tolerably ftrong, and may af-
terwards be placed on the beft bed.

Such roots as have attained the age
of four or five years, bloom flronger
in this country than any other; they
afterwards gradually decline, either by
dividing into offsets, or diminifhine in
fize and ftrength : but in Holland, owing
to the peculiar circumflances of the foil,
climate, fituation, &c. the fame bulb has
been known to produce bloom twelve or
thirteen times, nor is it ever known to
die merely with age.

Hyacinths

38 HYACINTHS.

Hyacinths are fubjeft to various dif-
eafes, arifing from different caufes; that
diftemper commonly known by the
appellation of the ring ficknefs, is of all
others the mod dangerous, and moft
difficult to cure ; in (hort, the only ef-
feftual remedy is to cut out the difeafed
part, till no brownnefs, yellownefs, or
other fymptom of diftemper remains.
The found part will furvive the opera-
tion, if it confifts of no more than the
outfide tunick of the bulb, without any
heart ; but it will, in fuch cafe, only
be able to produce offsets, and will
never recover itfelf, fo as to flower
again : as foon as the operation is
performed, the wounded part (hould be
expofed to the fun, till it becomes dry,
to prevent mouldinefs, and it will be
beft to replant it in fome dry fituation
foon after.

The

HYACINTHS. 39

The Hyacinth delights in a fandy foil,
and faline atmofphere ; of confequence it
fucceeds beft on the fea coaft, or in
fituations very near to the fea. In more
inland parts, it will generally be found
neceflary to procure an annual reinforce-
ment of frelh imported bulbs, in order to
make good or fupply the deficiencies
arifing from the lofs, or impaired health
and ftrength of many of thofe that have
bloomed on the beft bed the preceding
fpring. Thofe who are well acquainted
with the Hyacinth, always allow about
one bulb in twelve to fail, notwithftanding
no vifible blemifh or decay is difcernible
at the time of planting ; fuch generally
have a corps de refcrve^ in narrow deep
pots, which, at the commencement of
bloom, they plunge or fink into the bed,
wherever a vacancy, or weak fickly plant
makes its appearance; by which means

.3 ^^e

40 HYACINTHS.

the uniformity and regularity of the bed
is preferved, without any vifible defeft
or alteration.

Single Hyacinths are held in lefs
eftimation than full or double ones ;
their colours are, however, equally good
if not fuperior, and their bells, though
fmall, are more numerous ; they are more
hardy, and may be planted a week or
two before the double forts, by which
means they will bloom two or three
weeks earlier than the latter, with the
fame kind of management.

The Whites and Blues amon^ft thefe
fingle forts are poflefied of better proper-
ties than the Reds ; it is therefore advifa-
ble to have a greater proportion of them
in a colleftion.

Single Hyacinths produce feed, which
is very rarely to be procured from
double forts, and the following is the

moft

HYACINTHS. 41

mod approved method of raifing and
cultivating it ; but it is fcarcely worth
attempting in this country, as its progrefs
is fo (low, and fuccefs in ultimately
obtaining any valuable flowers from it,
is fo extremely precarious.

The feed (hould be faved from fuch
forts as have flrong and ftraight flems,
and a regular well-formed pyramid of
bells, riot perfeftly fmgle, but rather
femi-double. It fhould not be gathered
till it has become perfe6lly black and
ripe, at which time the Pericarpium will
appear yellow on the outfide, and will
begin to open. The ftem, with which
the feed is conneded, is then to be cut
off, and placed in a dry, airy, cool fitua-
tion, where it may remain undifturbed
till the time of fowing, which is the
latter end of 06tobcr, or beginning of
March : it fliould then be fown about
G half

42 HYACINTHS.

half an inch below the furface of the
foil, in a deep box filled with good found
garden mould mixed with fand, or the
Hyacinth compoft, which fhould be after-
wards placed in a warm fituation during
winter. It will never require to be watered,
or have any other attention paid to it, than
to keep it free from weeds and froft, till
it has remained in this flate two years ;
it mufl then, on the approach of winter,
have an additional flratum of the compoft
placed upon it, about half an inch thick;
and at the third year, in the month of
July, the roots may be taken up, dried,
and treated in the fame manner as de-
fcribed for large bulbs or offsets ; fome of
the roots will flower the fourth year, one
half of them will at the fifth, but by the
fixth year, every healthy root will exhibit
its bloom, and then the hopes and expec-
tations of the cultivator will be realized

or

HYACINTHS. 43

jor difappointed. He may think himfelf
fortunate, if one half of the plants that
firfl appeared, are in exiftence at this
period ; and if he can at laft find one
flower in five hundred deferving a name
or place in a curious colleflion, he may
reil perfe6lly content, and be aflured that
he has fared as well as could reafonably
J)e expefted, and better than many who
have befl;owed equal attention on the
fubjeft.

A Defcriptioii of the Properties of a Fine
Double Hyacinth.

THE flem fhould be ftrong, tall, and
cred, fupporting numerous large bells,
each fufpended by a fhort and ftrong
Peduncle, or foot-ftalk, in a horizontal
pofition, fo that the w^hole may have a
compaft pyramidal form, with the crown,
or uppermoft bell, perfeflly ereft.

The

44 HYACINTHS.

The bells fhould be large, and perfe6lly
double, i. e. well filled with broad bold
Petals, appearing to the eye rather
convex, than flat or hollow : they fhould
occupy about one half the length of
the ftem.

The colours fhould be clear and bright,
whether plain red, white, or blue, or
varioufly intermixed and diverfified in
the eye; the latter, it muft be confefled,
gives additional luftre and elegance to
this beautiful flower.

Note. Strong bright colours are, in
general, preferred to fuch as are pale ;
there are, however, many rofe-coloured,
pure white, and light blue Hyacinths,
in high eflimation.

Obfervation. Some forts confift of
Petals of different colours, fuch as light

reds,

HYACINTHS. 45

—

reds, '^ith deep red eyes ; whites, with
rofy, blue, purple, or yellow eyes; light
blues, with deep blue or purple eyes;
and yellow, with purple in the eye, &c.
others again have their petals ftriped, or
marked down the centre, with a paler or
deeper colour, which has a pleafmg efFe6l.
It fometimes happens, and with fome
forts more frequently than others, that
two ftems are produced from the fame
root, one is generally confiderably taller
and ftronger than the other ; when this is
the cafe, the weaker may be cut off near
the ground, foon after it makes its ap-
pearance, or fuffered to bloom, and its
bells be intermixed with the lower ones of
the taller ftem, fo dextroufly as to appear
like one regular pyramid of bells.

On

On tulips.

'Tn U L I P S are divided into two
clafles, viz. early and late blowers*

The late blowers are infinitely the
fineft and mofl valuable, and are of
courfe entitled to the principal attention
of the curious ; they are, therefore, tQ
be confidered as the fubjeft of the
following remarks and obfervations.

They are divided into five*" diflin6|:
families, viz,

1. Primo Baguets.

2. Baguet Rigauts,

3. Incomparable Verports.

4. Bybloemens,

5. Bizards.

* The author has not been able to difcover the
original or hteral fignification of thefe terms :
nor does he apprehend they are any other than
trivial terms of diftindlion, ufed by Dutch Florifts.
The Incomparable Verports are a particular kind of
Bybloemen, diftind from the reft.

The

TULIPS. 47

The firft four have white bottoms or
grounds, and the Bizards have yellow
grounds.

The mofl proper time to plant Tulip
Roots is from the end of 06lober to
the loth of November, which is indeed
pointed out by nature, in the appearance
of the grafs'^ at the upper end of the root,
as is before obferved of Hyacinths.

The fituation for the beft bed fhould
be in an open airy part of the garden;
when that is fixed upon, the ground
{hould be marked out, agreeable to its
intended dimenfions, and the foil taken
out twenty inches deep ; the bottom is
then to be filled up with found frefti
earth, ten inches thick, upon which is to
be placed a fl;ratum of two year old
rotten cow-dung, and earth of the above
^efcription, about one half of each, well

•^ Or Foliage,

mixed

48 TULIPS.

aj__Lj' L.BIBHIIWI ■l'l'--| '■ ._;_^_^^-^^^_ ; : i ,___ _^

mixed together, tvv^elve inches thick; and
again, upon this is to be placed another
flratum of the fame kind of earth as that
of the bottom ; this is only to be two
inches thick at the fides, and three inches
at the middle, which will give it a fmall
degree of convexity ; this is to be per-
formed about the 20th of October, i. e. a
week or two before planting, to give the
bed time to fettle ; at the expiration of
two weeks the earth will have fubfided,
fo as to be about two inches higher than
the circumjacent paths ; but if heavy
rains intervene between this preparation
of the bed, and the time of planting, it
will be proper to keep them off, in
order to preferve the temperature of
the earth, as it would be rendered too
compaft and adhefive, by a redundancy
of moifture, for the fibres to pals freely
through }t, which ought to be avoided.

2 On

TULIPS. 49

On the day made choice of for plant-
ing, rake the furface of the bed fmooth
and even, ftill preferving its convexity,
and mark the exa6l fituation for every
root upon it. The proper diRance
between each root, is feven inches from
centre to centre ; and if the rows are
feven inches afunder, the roots will form
fquares, of fimilar diameter, on all parts
of the bed.

A bed confifting of feven rows, makes
the nobleft appearance, when it is of
fuflBcient length, with a path round it,
about two and a half or three feet wide ;
but where the number of roots is fmall,
five rows may fufiEce, and the path, in
that cafe, may either extend quite round
the bed, or only on one fide, at pleafure.

If, therefore, the bed confifts of feven
rows, it fhould confequently be fifty
inches wide, which will allow a fpace of

H four

50 TULIPS.

four inches between the outfide rows and
the fides of the bed; but if the bed
contains only five rows, it will only
require to be three feet wide, to give the
roots fimilar diftances.

Having fprinkled a little clean fand
where the roots are to be fet, place them
with great exaQnefs, and add fome very
fandy earth, fo as to completely envelope
each root in a little cone of it; then
cover the whole very carefully, with
flrong, found, frefh loam, about four
inches thick at the middle of the bed,
gradually decreafing as it approaches the
fides, where it fhould be about three
inches thick ; thus will the convexity of
the furface be increafed in a: proper
decrree, and the roots will be covered
with foil, to a depth proportionate to
their fize and ftrength : the iargefl and
ftrongefl having been placed in the centre

rows.

TULIPS. 51

rows, and the fmaller and weaker on
thofe of the outfide. No Tulip root,
whatever may be its fize or ftrength,
fhould be planted more than four inches
deep from the upper fide of the root ;
nor (hould any blooming root be planted
lefs than two and a half or three inches
deep, however fmall it may be. The foil
made ufe of for covering the bulbs, fhould
be frequently turned over, and thoroughly
expofed to the fun and air, fome time
before it is made ufe of, that it may be
rendered perfectly fweet, and free from
the acrid quality that moft foils are fub-
je6l to, when taken confiderably below
the furface.

But if the bed is only to contain
five rows, with a path in the front, and
none behind, then it will be proper to
plant the fraallefh and lowed growing
roots in the front, next the path, and

fo

52 TULIPS.

fo gradually to increafe in the fize of the
roots to the fifth or lafl row, which
fhould contain the ftrongeft and largell
of all ; when the roots are properly
covered with foil, as before dire8:ed, the
furface of the bed will (lope one way,
forming an inclined plane: it will be ne-
ceffary to fupport its higheil fide, at leaft,
with boards, or brick-work, otherwife the
earth would be liable to crumble down,
and leave the roots bare, or too fhallow.

When the operation of planting is
concluded, the bed may be hooped over,
and taken care of, in the manner direfted
for Hyacinths, ^. e. fo as to preferve it
from very heavy rains, and fevere frofts ;
but either one or the other, in modera-
tion, will be of more fervice than injury
to it.

By the end of February every plant in
health will be vifible above ground; fome

tall

TULIPS. 53

tall early forts will be two or three
inches high, others one inch, and the
later forts jull making their appearance;
indeed a very few remarkably late forts
may be a week longer before they appear,
but not more : if, on examination, any
diflemper, or canker, is difcernible on
the foliage, about this time, either above,
or an inch or two below the furface of
the foil, it {hould be carefully cut out,
with a (harp knife, and the wounded part
left expofed to the fun and air, which
will prefently heal it : a fine dry day
fhould be made choice of for the fore-
going operation.

If the furface of the bed appears to
be of too clofe and folid a contexture,
it fhould be carefully ftirred up, about
two inches deep, which will admit the
air more freely, and prove, in all refpefts,
very beneficial.

By

54 TULIPS.

By the end of April, fome of the
plants will probably be grown fo tall as
to require the hoops to be raifed a little,
to fecure the bloflbm from injury : atten-
tion to this part mufl not be omitted,
for the bloffom is very tender and fuf-
ceptible of being bruifed and disfigured,
by a very flight blow, or rub againft the
hoops. As foon as any of the earlier
forts begin to fhew colour, they fliould
be fhaded from the fun, for, when its heat
is confiderable, it will caufe the colours
to run, and intermix, in fuch a manner
as to deftroy the elegance and beauty of
the flower ; fome forts are more particu-
larly liable to this effeft than others, and
will be fpoiled in five minutes.

When the greater part of the bloffoms
have begun to open, a frame, or awning,
fliould be erefted over the bed and paths,
nearly fimilar to that for Hyacinths : that

is

TULIPS. 55

is to fay, fo as to keep out rain, and admit
as much light as poffible ; this muft be
thrown off, or rolled up, at every favour-
able opportunity, as direfted for Hya-
cinths, except that it ihould be done rather
earlier in the morning, and later in the
evening ; becaufe the fun has acquired a
greater degree of altitude and power at
this feafon of the year than earlier. If thefe
frequent expofures to the light and air be
omitted, the colours of the flowers will be
faint and weak, and the grandeur of effe6l
will be loft, or confiderably leflened.

The cloth covering fhould come down
on each fide, within about three feet of
the ground, to allow a free circulation
of air, except in windy weather ; from
the effe6ls of which, the flowers muft
be moft carefully preferved, by a conti-
nuation of the covering quite down to
the ground, on the windy fide ; a line of

mats

55 TULIPS.

mats fewed together, and their upper
edge nailed to the frame on that fide,
may anfvver the purpofe, if the cloth is
not of fufficient length.

Tulips never require to be artificially
watered, in the hotteft and dried feafons,
at any period from planting to taking up
the roots ; neverthelefs, moderate rains
may always be admitted before, and in
very fmall quantity after the bloom is
over; but early in the fpring, they are
abfolutely neceflary, in order to procure
a ftrong bloom.

When the awning is erefted, the hoops
fhould be carefully taken away, the
fides and ends of the bed fhould be
neatly boarded up, and the paths lowered
two or three inches, to bring the flowers
nearer to the eye : a flight frame, about
two foot high, fliould furround the bed,
to prevent the garments of fpe6lators
3 from

TULIPS. 57

from rubbing againft, or breaking off the
flowers ; lines of fniall twine, painted green,
and correfponding with the rows of flow-
ers, fliould pafs from one end of the bed
to the other, faftened to the end pieces
of the frame, and ftretched tight : to thefe
the fl:ems of the flowers are to be loofely
tied with fliort pieces of green worfl:ed,
which will preferve a pleafing regularity
of appearance, without ftifFnefs and for-
mality. Tulips will bear to be covered
a longer time in bloom than moft other
flowers, without fuftaining any confidera-
ble injury ; it may be continued three
weeks with great fafety.

If any roots fliould perifli, or fail to
produce bloom, the deficiency may be
made good in the following manner:
it is neceflary, in the firfl: place, to be
provided with two ftrong tin inftruments,

I or

58 TULIPS.

or tubes,*" each having two fubftantial,
perpendicular, iron handles, to force the
inflrument into the ground, and draw it
up again, with the plant and earth con-
nefted with its root and fibres ; but in
order to difcharge its contents into the
place prepared for their reception, by
the other inflrument, of exaftly fimilar
dimenfions, it fhould be held together
on one fide by a flrong wire, which upon
being drawn out, when the plant is placed
in the fituation it is intended for, will
allow the tube to fpring open a little, fo
as to permit it to be drawn up again,
without difturbing the plant; this tube,
or tranfplanter, fliould be perfe6lly cylin-
drical, open at both ends, be about
twelve inches long, fix in diameter, and
made of the flrongefl and befl tin plate:

' See Plate 5. Fig. 5.

one

TULIPS. 59

one of thefe tubes may ferve to take out
the defeftive plant, with its earth, Sec.
and the other to bring a well blown flower
from the offset beds, to fubflitute in its
place ; the inftrument fhould be forced
into the ground, as deep as its length
will admit, otherwife the fibres will be
broken oif fo near the root as to check
the growth of the plant ; but the opera-
tion may be performed with fo much
dexterity and addrefs, as not to do the
plant any material injury, or retard its
growth in any confiderable degree : it
will be proper to give the newly intro-
duced plant about a pint of foft water
immediately, or its ftem will be apt to
bend a little at firft. Thofe who do not
choofe to take the trouble of repairing
their bed in the foregoing manner, may
immerfe the lower end of the ftems of
flowers, taken from the offset beds, in

phials,

6o TULIPS.

phials, filled with water, and funk into the
bed, fo as not to appear above ground ;
thefe will continue in bloom feveral days,
without requiring to be changed, and
will make a tolerable appearance.

About a week or ten days after full
bloom, when the petals of many begin
to drop off, the awning fhould be taken
down, together with the frame, boards,
&c. that furround the bed ; and the mats
and hoops may be replaced as before, to
throw off excefs of rain, as the cafe may
require : and as the leaves or petals of
any fall, the feed veffel of fuch fhould
be immediately broken off, clofe to the
ftem ; for if fuffered to remain on the
plant, it will procraflinate the period
of its maturity, and weaken the root
confiderably.

The bed may remain in this ftate
about a fortnight longer, by which time

the

TULIPS. 61

the grafs, or foliage, will become of a
yellowifti brown, and two or three inches
of the top of the ftem will wither, dry
up, and become purplifh : this denotes
the critical period to take up the roots,
becaufe if done earlier, they will be
weak and fpongy, and if deferred later,
their juices will become grofs; this will
be manifeft at the fucceeding bloom,
by too great a redundance of colorific
matter in the petals, and the flowers will
be what is generally termed foul.

When the roots are taken up, they
are to be gradually dried, and placed in
a fituation where they may remain fo:
it will not be neceffary to do any thing
more to them till Auguft or September
following ; at which time, it is proper to
take off their loofe (kins, fibres, and fuch
offsets as are eafily feparated ; obferving
not to leave the roots too bare, becaufe

the

62 TULIPS.

the aftion of the air upon fuch, would
have a tendency to weaken and injure
them, by drying up part of their juices :
the laft brown fkin, which is fo intimately
conneded with the root, fhould remain
on it till the time of planting ; it fhould
then be entirely ftripped off, and the root
left perfe6lly bare and white ; but it fhould
be performed with great care, to avoid
bruifing or wounding the root, efpecially
at the lower end, where the fibres are
formed, which is at this time extremely
tender, and will fcarcely bear to be
touched : a fmall fharp-pointed penknife
is the befl adapted inftrument for the
above operation.

The fmallefl and weakefl offsets, par-
ticularly fuch as are not provided with a
brown fkin, may be replanted as foon as
they are taken up, about an inch and
half deep, in a frelh fandy loam, in a dry

fituation,

TULIPS. 63

fituation, and the bed defended from
heavy rains, by means of mats and hoops,
as before ; or, inftead of replanting thefe
offsets fo early, they may be preferved
from the air, by being buried in dry
fand till the autumn, and are then to be
planted with the larger roots, but not
quite fo deep.

Tulips are hardier, and, of courfe, lefs
liable to receive injury from froft, than
moft kind of flowers ; the offsets, and
more ordinary kinds, may be planted in
any part of the garden, from two to four
inches deep, according to the fize of the
roots, in a good found foil, with a little
rotten cow dung, placed from feven to
twelve inches below the furface : the
beds (hould be dug twenty inches deep,
and raifed fix or eight inches above the
walks, formed rather convex on the
furface, and may be provided with hoops

and

^4 TULIPS.

and mats, to be ufed as circumllances
require.

Hail florms are very injurious to the
foliage of Tulips, early in the fpring;
for wherever a hail-ftone falls or ftrikes,
the part is bruifed, the free circulation of
the juices and growth of the plant is
impeded, the wounded parts lofe their
verdure, and a difagreeable effe6t is pro-
duced to the eye ; therefore, although
it is not abfolutely neceflary to cover the
inferior beds of Tulips, during a common
winter, yet it is highly proper to defend
them againft hail ftorms in the fpring;
and likewife to cover them when in bloom,
in cafe of hot or windy weather, which
would foon deftroy their beauty.

Thofe who wifh to procure new varie-
ties of Tulips, (liould procure the beft
forts of Breeder Tulips, a name they
are generally known by ; thefe confift of
3 one

TULIPS. 65

' • - --■

one plain colour, on a white or yellow
bottom : no perfon fliould make the
attempt who is not poflefled of a great
fund of patience and perfeverance, as the
period of procuring finely broken Tulips
from breeders is very uncertain, fo much
fo that it is not unufual to wait ten or
twenty years without the defired fuccefs,
although it fometiraes happens fortu-
nately to take place the firft, fecond, or
third year of their blooming ; and where
the coUeftion of breeders is numerous,
there may be reafonable expedlations of
procuring one or two valuable new
flowers annually, but not otherwife : a
poor dry foil is moft likely to produce
thefe effe6ls ; and a fingle inftance has
occurred, where forty breeders out of
fifty became broken, or variegated, in one
feafon, in a fituation of this defcription,

K New

66 TULIPS.

New forts of breeders are procured
from feed, but fuch only as have very
tall ftrong ftems, with large well formed
cups, clear in the bottom, are worth
cultivating.

The feed (hould be faved from the
mod perfe6l breeders, in preference to the
finefl of the vari'^gated or broken forts,
as the feed of fuch produces nothing but
poor weak breeders, of no value. It
fiiould remain growing on the (lem till
the Pericarpium becomes of a brownifh
colour, and begins to open ; it is then
fuihciently ripe, and (hould be cut off,
with fix or eight inches of the Hem, and
treated afterwards, in all refpefts, agree-
able to the dire6lions given for the
management of Hyacinth feed. Some
of the feediings will bloom by the fourth
or fifth, and moil, if not all, by the
feventh year.

Early

TULIPS. 67

Early Tulips fhould be planted a
month or fix weeks before the late
blowers, at rather a lefs depth, and in
a warmer fituation ; they will then blow
in March or April following ; their flems
are much (horter, and their properties, in
general, are much inferior to the late
blowers •, they confift of only Bybloe-
mens and Bizards, of which, however,
there are many varieties.

A Defcription of the Properties of a fine
Variegated Late Tulip.

THE ftem fhould be ftrong, elaftic, and
erefl, and about thirty inches above the
furface of the bed.

The flower fhould be large and com-
pofed of fix Petals : thefe fhould proceed
a little horizontally at firfl, and then
turn up'wards, forming almofl a perfe6l

cup,

68 TULIPS.

cup, with a round bottom, rather widell
at the top.

The three exterior petals fhould be
rather larger than the three interior
ones, and broader at their bafe : all
the petals (hould have perfe6lly entire
edges, free from notch or ferrature;
the top of each fhould be broad and well
rounded ; the ground colour of the
flow^er, at the bottom of the cup, fhould
be clear white, or yellow ; and the various
rich coloured flripes, which are the prin-
cipal ornament of a fine Tulip, fhould
be regular, bold, and diftinft on the
margin, and terminate in fine broken
points, elegantly feathered or pencilled.

The centre of each leaf, or petal,
fhould contain one or more bold blotches,
or flripes, intermixed with fmall portions
of the original or breeder colour, abruptly
broken into many irregular obtufe points.

Some

TULIPS, 6g

Some Florifls are of the opinion that the
central ftripes, or blotches, do not con-
tribute to the beauty and elegance of the
Tulip, unlefs confined to a narrow ftripe,
exa6lly down the centre, and that they
fhould be perfectly free from any remains
of the original or breeder colour: it is cer-
tain that fuch appear very beautiful and
delicate, eipecially when they have a
regular narrow feathering at the edge ;
but the greatefl connoifTeurs in this flower
unanimoufly agree, that it denotes fupe-
rior merit, when the Tulip abounds with
rich colouring, diflributed in a di{lin£l
and regular manner throughout the
flower, except in the bottom of the cup,
which, it cannot be difputed, fliould be
a clear, bright white or yellow, free
from ftain or tinge, in order to conflitute
a perfe6l flower.

On

v^ '^^ -^^^^ '^^ "^^ '^^ *^^

On ranunculuses.

"n ANUNCULUSES may either be
planted before or after winter : if
the foil and fituation is remarkably cold
and wet, it will be better to defer planting
to the middle or end of January, or be-
ginning of February, as the weather may
favour; but, in other fituations, the latter
end of Odober, or beginning of Novem-
ber, is to be preferred, as the roots will
have more time to vegetate, and form
themfelves, and will, in confequence,
bloom rather ftronger, though only a few
days earlier than the later planted.

Ranunculufes are originally natives of
a warm climate, where they blow in the
winter, or more rainy feafon of the year :

they

RANUNCULUSES. 71

they are of courfe, naturally partial to
coolnefs and moifture exempt from froft,
which the more delicate forts cannot
bear, in any confiderable degree, without
material injury.

A frefli, ftrong, rich, loamy foil is pre-
ferable to all others for Ranunculufes.

The bed fiiould be dug from eighteen
inches to two feet deep, and not raifed
more than four inches above the level of
the walks, to preferve the moifture more
effe6lually : at about five inches below
the furface fhouid be placed a ftratum
of two year old rotten cow dung, mixed
with earth, fix or eight inches thick;
but the earth above this ftratum, where
the roots are to be planted, ftiould be
perfeftly free from dung, which would
prove injurious, rather than of benefit,
if too near them. The fibres will draw
fufficient nouriOiment from it at the

depth

72 RANUNCULUSES.

depth above mentioned; but if the dung
was placed deeper, it would not receive fo
much advantage from the aftion of the
air, which is an objeft of confequence.

The furface of the bed fhould be raked
perfeftly even and flat, and the roots
planted in rows, at the diftance of
about five inches from each other. It is
better to plant in fhallow trenches, made
nearly two inches deep, than to make
holes for the reception of the roots :
there fhould be a little clean coarfe fand
fprinkled into the trench, and the roots
fiiould be placed with their claws down-
wards, from three to four inches afunder,
according to their fize : when the trench
has received its roots, it fhould be care-
fully filled up level with the fame earth
that was taken out, fo as to cover the root
exa6tly one inch and a half deep, which
is the only true depth to procure a good
2 bloom ;

RANUNCULUSES. 73

bloom : it is pointed out, by nature, in a
fingular manner ; for when thefe roots have
been planted too (hallow or too deep,
in either cafe, a fecond root is formed at
the proper depth, by which the plant is
weakened to fuch a degree that it feldom
furvives a repetition of it.

Ranunculus roots will remain feveral
days in the ground after planting, before
they begin to vegetate ; during this
period, they become very much fwelled,
by imbibing the moifture of the foil, and
are, in this flate, extremely fufceptible
of injury from froft, much more fo than
when vegetation has adually taken place.
As foon as the bed is planted, a fufhcient
quantity of barley or oat flraw fhould be
placed near it, ready for a covering : in
cafe of froft, it may perhaps be neceffary,
during a very fevere vrinter, to cover the
bed in this manner, ten or fifteen inches
L thick :

74 RANUNCULUSES.

... I -IN , -1,

thick; but the flraw fhould be taken off
at all favourable times ; for the efFe6ls of
covering too much, or too long, are as
deftru6live as the reverfe, efpecially before
the roots have begun to vegetate, becaufe
they are then more liable to become
mouldy than at any other period, than
which nothing can be more prejudicial.

Early in the fpring, when the plants
make their appearance above ground, fo
as to render the rows , eafily difcernible,
the furface of the earth, between each
row, fhould be trodden or beaten, fo as
to make it firm and compa6l ; and if the
foil is comprelTed with the fingers, quite
clofe to the plants, it will keep out any
cold drying winds that may happen, and
prove beneficial. It is advifable to
make choice of a fine dry day, foon
after rain, whilft the ground is flill moifl,
to perform the above operation : when it

is

RANUNCULUSES. 75

is finifhed, a little long draw ftiould be
placed between each row, to preferve the
furface of the foil cool and moift, till
the foliage of the plants is fufficiently
grown and expanded, to afford it ftiade
without further affiftance.

April fhowers, and frequent rains in

May, are eflentially neceffary to the

growth and vigour of the plants : if thefe

fail, foft water mufl be adminiftered in

fufficient quantity between the rows, by

means of a common watering pot, with

a long tube or fpout, held low, fo as not

to wafh the earth into holes ; for it is

better to avoid watering the plants them-

felves, as it may chill them too much, and

fiagnate their juices. The confequences

of omitting to water when neceirar}^

are thefe, viz. The plants will make

little progrefs ; the blofTom buds of the

lirongeft will be fmall, and the weaker

plants

76 RANUNCULUSES.

plants will not bloom at all ; the grafs,
or foliage, will put on a fickly yellowifli
appearance, from which it will never
recover during the feafon ; and, laftly,
the roots will, when taken up, be fmall
and lean.

But fuch kind of waterings, however
neceffary, are by no means fo falutary
to thefe, or any other flowers, as fine,
warm, natural (bowers ; they can neither
be fo equally difpenfed, nor are the plants
naturally difpofed to receive them when
the atmofphere is dry, becaufe their pores
and fibres are contra61ed, and they are, as
it were, in the expe61ancy of dry weather.

Since it is evident that artificial water-
ings are, in all refpefts, fo much inferior
to natural, it is, therefore, better to wait
a day or two, in hopes of a change of
weather, than to be too hafty in affording
thefe fuccours, although the plants may

appear

RANUNCULUSES. ^'^

appear to fufFer for the moment, by the
omiirion ; for if fuch a change fhould
fortunately take place, they will receive
infinitely more benefit from it than when
both themfelves and the foil are already
faturated, or replenifhed, with moifture.
The weather in May is fometimes very
clear and hot ; the plants ought to be
fhaded at fuch times by means of lofty
hoops and mats, or fome better con-
trivance, that will admit light and air
freely; a frame and covering, fimilar to
that for 'Hyacinths, would anfwer bed:,
if expence and trouble were not to be
confidered : it will, however, be abfo-
lutely necefTary to fliade them, in fome
manner, during the period of bloom,
otherwife they will continue but a very
fhort time, efpecially the dark rich coloured
forts ; for, in proportion as their colours
approach to black, is the injury they will

receive

78 RANUNCULUSES.

receive from the rays of the fun, if it is
permitted tofhine upon them in full force;
fome of the very darkeft cannot (land it
one hour, without being entirely fpoiled.
The light-coloured forts will bear the
fun's rays much better, reflefting them in
proportion as they approach to white ;
green is the only colour that reflefts and
abforbs the rays of light in equal propor-
tion, and is more predominant in the ve-
getable kingdom than any other.

After the bloom is over, watering is
no longer neceffary, but fhading, in the
middle of hot days, is Rill very beneficial
to the plants : it tends to prolong their
vegetation, and the fize and fubftance of
the roots are thereby increafed.

By the end of June, or foon after, the
greater part of the plants will appear
brown and dry ; vegetation has then
ceafed, and it is the exa6l time to take

up

RANUNCULUSES. 79

up the roots, becaufe if they are fufFered
to remain in the ground till rainy weather
enfues, the roots will begin to (hoot
afrefh, and thereby fuftain confiderable
injury. When the roots are taken up,
their ftems, &c. fhould be cut off clofe,
and they fhould be placed in a fhady,
airy room, or fituation, to dry gradually ;
but before this is perfe6lly accomplifhed,
it will be proper to clean and feparate
them, becaufe, when they are quite dried,
they become very hard and brittle, and
there is great danger of breaking off their
claws : fome may be feparated into many
complete roots, although they are fo
clofely conneded, as, on a fuperficial
obfervation, to have the appearance of
only one large root.

Nothing more remains to be done, till
the return of the planting feafon, except
to How the forts feparately in bags, or

boxes,

8o RANUNCULUSES.

boxes, for the fake of convenience, in a
dry room, in which (late it is poffible to
keep them out of ground for two or
three years, without perifliing, ahhough
it evidently tends to vreaken and injure
them : there have been inftances known,
of Ranunculus roots furviving till the
fifth or fixth year ; they were, however,
rendered extremely weak, nor could any
but very ftrong roots retain their vegeta-
tive powers for fo long a period.

A bed confiding of fcarlet turband
Ranunculufes, produces a moft brilliant
effeft, if the roots are of a proper fize
to bloom well : if thefe roots are planted
at the fame time as the Tulips, they will
alfo bloom together ; they are hardier than
other Ranunculufes, but may, in other
refpeds, be treated in the fame manner.

New forts of Ranunculufes are, like all

other plants and flowers, produced from

2 feed.

RANUNCULUSES. 8i

feed, which, in no inflance, ever pro-
duces two alike, or the fame as the
original ; hence the infinite variety which
the inexhauftible fund of nature is capa-
ble of continually affording thofe who
will take the pains of purfuing her in
this track : this theorem holds equally
good, whether applied to the animal or
vegetable kingdom ; though it muft be
confefTed, there is^ in many inftanceSj
fo great a fimilarity in appearance, as
fcarcely to admit of diflinftion.

Ranunculus feed is to be procured from
femi-double flowers: care Ihould be taken
to fave it from fuch as are poflelfed of
good properties, viz, fuch as have tall
ftrong ftems, a confiderable number of
large well-formed petals, and rich good
colours, chiefly preferring the darker,
but not to the exclufion of the lighter
M coloured,

82 RANUNCULUSES.

coloured, when their properties anfwer
the. foregoing defcription.

The feed fhould remain on the plant
till it has loft its verdure, and becomes
brown and dry, it may then be cut off,
and fpread abroad upon paper, in a dry
room, expofed to the fun, that every
degree of humidity may be exhaled from
it; in which ftate it (hould be put into
a bag, and preferved in a warm dry
room, or clofet, till the time of fowing,
otherwife it wull be in danger of contraft-
ing a dampnefs, which will foon produce a
mouldinefs, that will infallibly deftroy it.

January is the proper time to fow the
feed, and in order to prepare it, it muft
be feparated from the ftalks to which it is
connefted, in the following manner, viz.
In the firft place, it (hould be taken out
of the bag, and fpread thin upon a fheet
of paper, or tea tray, &c. and placed

before

RANUNCULUSES. S3

before a moderate fire, till it is jufl warm,
and no more; the feed will then eafily
fcrape off, by means of a pen-knife;
but great care mud be taken to avoid
fcraping it off in lumps, or fuffering any
pieces of the llalk, dried petals of the
flower, or other extraneous matter to be
mixed with it, which would create a
mouldinefs when fown, of very deftruc-
tive confequence : when the feed is
fcraped in a proper manner, it will
have much of the appearance of clean
coarfe bran, with a little brown or purple
fpeck in the centre of each cuticle,
which is the kernel.

When the feed is thus prepared, it
fhould be fown in a (hallow frame, pro-
vided with glaffes, fimilar to thofe made
ufe of for cucumbers and melons ; the
foil fliould have been previoufly taken
out, three feet deep, and fpread thin

upon

84 RANUNCULUSES.

upon the ground, till it has been per-
fe6lly frozen throughout, in order to
deftroy any vermin it may have con-
tained, more particularly the common
earth worms; thefe are extremely de-
flruQive, both to the feed and the young
plants, which they draw into their holes
for nutriment, from a very confider-
able diflance.

When the pit is filled up again, with
the frozen lumps of earth, it fhould
remain till the whole mafs has thawed,
and fubfided to its priftine bulk, or
nearly fo ; its furface fhould then be
made perfeftly fmooth and even, and the
feed fown upon it with the utmoft regu-
larity, in fuch quantity as nearly to cover
it ; the glaffes fliould be placed over it
immediately, and the frame kept clofely
covered with them, for two or three
days, till the feed begins to fwell and

foften ;

RANUNCULUSES. 85

foften ; a little light earth fhould then be
fifted upon it, through a fine fieve, but
not fufficient to cover it ; this fhould be
repeated once or twice a week, till the
greater part of the feed difappears : it is
proper to remark in this place, that fuch
feeds as happen to be covered deeper
than the thicknefs of a half-crown piece,
will never vegetate, and muft, of courfe,
inevitably perifh. Miller, in his Gar-
dener's Diftionary, recommends that
Ranunculus feed be fown about one
quarter of an inch deep ; if his pra6lice
agreed with his theory in this inftance,
it may be fafely afferted that he never
raifed a Ranunculus from feed in his life.
It is neceflary t^ keep the feed mode-
rately moid, by gentle waterings with
foft water, that has been expofed to the
fun till it is a little warmed ; the rofe of
the watering pot fhould be hemifpherical,

and

86 RANUNCULUSES.

and perforated with a great number of
very fmall holes, that will difcharge fine
flreams of water, in a very diftinft and
regular manner ; the rofe fhould be made
of copper, it being lefs liable to corrode
than iron.

But although it is neceflary to the
vegetation of the feed that it be kept
rather moift, too great a degree of
moifture is neverthelefs injurious.

About the time that the plants begin
to make their appearance, it is proper to
flir the furface of the earth with a pin,
or filver bodkin, juft fufficiently to admit
air, and give liberty to the young plants
to pafs eafily through ; this operation
fhould be very carefully performed, to
prevent breaking off the fibres, or raifing
and leaving any of the plants out of the
earth, becaufe one hour's fun upon fuch,
would inevitably deftroy them,

2 When

RANUNCULUSES. 87

When the fun (hines very hot, it is
neceflary to admit fome frefh air under
the glafles, and (hade the frame with
mats ; but it fhould be clofe fhut up with
the glafles when the air is cold, and
always at night.

After the plants are all up, and their
two interior leaves appear, more air
mud be given, by having hurdles, or
lattice- work, fubftituted for the glafles ;
waterings mufl: be regularly continued,
in the manner before defcribed, when
the long continuance of dry weather
renders it neceflary ; but fine warm
fhowers of rain are always preferable,
when they happen in due time.

This kind of management is to be
continued till the roots are matured,
and fit to take up, which is known by-
the foliage becoming perfeclly brown,
dry, and nearly confumed.

The

88 RANUNCULUSES.

The rpeedieft and fafefl method of
taking up thefe fmall roots is to pare off
the earth, three inches deep, with a
trowel, or fhovel, having previoufly
tarefully picked off the dried leaves, and
any other extraneous matter that may be
found upon it. The earth and roots,
thus colle6led, are to be thrown into
a fine brafs-wire fieve, that will not
permit the fmalleft roots to pafs through
it ; the fieve is then to be worked in a
large veffel, or tub, nearly filled with
water; the earthy part will, in confe-
quence, be difiblved and wafhed away,
and the roots will remain in the fieve*
where, by a little management, they may
be eafily feparated from the fl;ones, &€*
which are mixed with them. The upper
rim of the fieve muft, at all times, be
held above the furface of the water,
otherwife fome of the fmalleft roots will

be

RANUNCULUSES. 89

be loft, as they are frequently found
floating on the furface, till they have
imbibed a fufiRcient quantity of water to
make them fink. The roots are to be
dried and preferved in the manner before
direded, and are to be planted at the
fame time as large roots in the autumn ;
the greater part, or fuch as have two or
more claws, will blow ftrong the fol-
lowing fummer.

A Defcription of the Properties of a fine
Double Ranunculus.

THE ftem fliould be ftrong, ftraight,
and from eight to twelve inches high,
fupporting a large well-formed bloflbm,
or corolla, at leaft two inches in dia-
meter, confifting of numerous petals, the
largeft at the outfide, and gradually
diminiftiing in fize as they approach the

N centre

90 RANUNCULUSES.

centre of the flower, which (hould be
well filled up with them.

The bloflbm fliould be of a hemifphe-
rical form ; its component petals fliould
be imbricated in fuch a manner as
neither to be too clofe and compa6t, nor
too widely feparated ; but have rather
more of a perpendicular than horizontal
direftion, to difplay their colours with
better efFeft.

The petals fliould be broad, and have
perfe611y entire, well-rounded edges ;
their colours fliould be dark, clear, rich,
or brilliant, either conflfting of one colour
throughout, or be otherwife varioufly
diverfified, on an afli, white, fulphur, or
fire coloured ground, or regularly fl:riped,
fpotted, or mottled, in an elegant manner.

There are more numerous varieties of
beautiful Double Ranunculufes than of
any other flower.

On

On anemones.

A NEMONES require- nearly the
fame treatment as Ranunculufes,
therefore it will not be neceflary to
give fo long and particular a defcrip-
tion of their culture and management ;
the following remarks are all that ap-
pear needful to be added, and more
would perhaps be confidered, at leaft,
unneceflary.

Anemones are hardier than Ranuncu-
lufes, and, confequently, may be always
planted in the autumn with fafety ; the
mofl advifable time is about the middle
of 06lober, by which means they will
blow a week or two earlier than the
Tulips : if they are planted ten days

or

92 ANEMONES.

or a fortnight after the Tulips, they will
all bloom together ; but a few days
earlier or later in the planting will
fcarcely be perceptible at the time of
flowering : it is, however, proper to
obferve that fuch roots as are planted
in 06lober, will blow ftronger, and,
when taken up, will be found of a larger
lize than thofe that are planted towards
the end of November, efpecially if the
winter proves mild ; but if the winter fets
in early, and proves fevere, late planted
roots will not have time to vegetate
before frofty weather takes place ; in
which cafe there will be great danger
of their perifhing, unlefs they are cover-
ed with ftraw, juft fufficiently to keep
froft from the roots, as they are then
in a ftate of inaftivity, but replete with
moiflure, which renders them more
fufceptible of injury from froft, and, at

the

ANEMONES. 93

the fame time, in much greater danger
of mouldinefs, than after vegetation has
commenced. The covering muft there-
fore be taken off and put on, as often,
and in fuch proportion, as the exigency
or circumftance of the cafe requires.

The beds fhould confiil of the fame

kind of foil, and be prepared in the

fame manner as for Ranunculufes; the

roots fhould be at nearly fimilar diflances

from each other, and be planted in the

fame manner, except that they require

to be covered rather deeper, L e. they

{hould be planted about two inches

deep ; it requires fome care and attention

to diftinguifh which fide of the root

is to be placed uppermoil, efpecially

if the fmall thread-like fibres have

been entirely cleaned off, after the lafl

taking up.

The

94 ANEMONES.

The roots are in general flat, and their
eyes, from whence the ftems and flowers
proceed, on examination are eafily dif-
cernible on one fide of the root, which,
of courfe, fhould be planted uppermofl: ;
the other fide will confeq ntly have its
true pofition, as the fibres naturally
ftioot forth in an oppofite direftion to
the flem, foliage, &c.

Although, as before obferved. Ane-
mones are hardier, and can bear a greater
degree of cold and drought than Ranun-
culufes, moifl;ure is neverthelefs almofl;
equally falutary and beneficial to them,
nor ought they ever to be deprived of
it, when it is naturally afforded ; but if
that does not happen in fufficient quan-
tity, occafional waterings, with foft water,
muft not be omitted, efpecially on the
approach of, and during bloom, and

they

ANEMONES. 95

they (hould be applied in the manner
as is direfted for Ranunculufes.

The bloflbms and petals of Anemones
are of a more foft and flexible texture
than thofe of Ranunculufes, and are
confequently more liable to receive injury
from high winds and heavy rains than
the latter ; their colours foon fade when
expofed to a clear fun; it is therefore
equally neceffary to flielter them whilft
in bloom, in order to prolong their
beautiful appearance.

Anemones continue longer after bloom
in a flate of vegetation than Ranuncu-
lufes, probably becaufe of their greater
degree of fucculency ; and even at the
proper time to take them up, it will
fometimes happen, that part of their
foliage will not be entirely divefled of
greennefs and moifture ; this will often
be the cafe when frequent fiiowers of

rain

g6 ANEMONES.

rain intervene, and are admitted between
the times of blowing and the maturity of
the roots : when it thus happens, much
fkill is required to afcertain the critical
period to take up the roots ; for if they
are fuffered to remain in the damp or wet
ground a few days too long, they will
fhoot afrefh, and be thereby materially
weakened and injured ; it is indeed better
to take them up rather too early, than
fuffer them to re-vegetate in this manner,
but the roots will not be fo firm and
folid as if done at the exaft time. The
fafeft and mod effeftual method to
preferve them from thefe difagreeable
confequences, is to keep off all rains
after the bloom is quite over, by means
of mats on hoops ; the roots will then
regularly and gradually mature, and the
foliage will, in like manner, become brown
and dry, which will point out the true
3 time

ANEMONES. 97

time to take up the roots ; and this will
ufually happen to be about a month
after full bloom.

The whole fubfequent treatment of
the roots, till the time for planting, is
the fame as for Ranunculufes, with only
the following caution, viz. that as the
roots are exceedingly brittle, it is necef-
fary to handle them very gently upon
dreffing or cleaning away their fibres,
and the foil that adheres to them ; how-
ever, fhould only fmall pieces break off,
fuch fhould not be thrown away, as
each will, in the courfe of a few years,
become a blooming root, if it has an eye,
without which it is of no value ; but that
feldom happens to be the cafe.

Large overgrown roots, which are hol-
low in the centre, will not blow fo iirong
as frefti young roots that are perfectly
found, and not more than two or three
O years

98 ANEMONES.

years old : the former will naturally
feparate into many fmall pieces, when
they are fufficiently decayed at the
heart; thofe fmall pieces will, however,
in time become good blooming roots.

The conftitution of Anemones un-
dergoes confiderable changes with age,
which perhaps is in a greater or fmaller
degree the cafe with all other vegetables.
The Anemone will not laft more than
twelve or fifteen years^ without degene-
rating, unlefs it be frequently removed
to a different foil and fituation ; nor
will any removals protra6l or prolong
its exiftence more than thirty or forty
years. It generally blows in its greateft

' The Ranunculus will laft about twenty or twenty-
five years in perfedlion ; it afterwards degenerates and
perifhes. Tulips', and many other kinds of flowers of
vigorous conftitution, will continue for a very long time
in ftrength and beauty, fo long as to render it difficult,
if not impoffible, to afcertain the period of their
duration..

degree

ANEMONES. 99

degree of perfe6lion from the fifth to the
tenth or twelfth year, after which it be-
comes gradually fmaller and weaker ; and
if the flower was originally very full and
double, with age it lofes that property,
the petals diminifti in number, become
fmall and irregular, and finally the fort
perilhes. It has more than once oc-
curred, that the fame fort, although in
the poffeflion of many perfons, refiding
at remote diftances from each other,
has been entirely loft in one feafon,
without the poflibility of accounting for
the faft in any other manner than the
above.

Anemones are raifed from feed in
the following manner : in the firft place,
the feed is to be faved from fingle or
femi-double flowers, that have (Irong,
tall, and ereft ftems, large welLformed
cups and petals, of very brilliant colours :

it

loo ANEMONES.

it muft be gathered from time to time
as it opens; for being very downy and
light, it will otherwife be blown away
by the firfl breeze of wind, or fall down
and be loft : it may be fown at the fame
time, and be treated in all refpefts, like
that of Ranunculufes ; the feedlings will,
like thofe, blow ftrong the fecond year.

It will be found very difficult to fow
Anemone feed in a regular manner : it
is united with, and enveloped in a
downy fubftance, that upon being put
together in quantity, adheres in fuch a
manner as to render it neceffary to make
ufe of fome fand or earth to feparate it
on fowing ; nor will this be effeded fuffi-
ciently without confiderable labour in
rubbing it for a long time amongft the
earth, as it ought not to adhere together in
lumps, which would not allow the young
plants fpace enough to form their roots.

There

ANEMONES. loi

There will be found but few double
flowers amongft the feedlings, nor can it
hardly ever be expected there (hould,
if the feed be entirely faved from fmgle
ones ; of courfe, the greater number of
broad peials the flower of the feed-bearer
poflefles, fo much greater is the probabi-
lii V of procuring large double flowers
from the feed of it.

A Defcription of the Properties of a fine
Double Anemone.

THE fliem fhould be ftrong, elaftic,
and ereft, not lefs than nine inches high.

The bloflbm, or corolla, fl:iould be at
leafl; two inches and a half in diameter,
confifl:ing of an exterior row of large fub-
fl;antial well rounded petals orguard leaves,
at firfl: horizontally extended, and then
turning a little upwards, fo as to form

a broad

102 ANEMONES.

a broad {hallow cup, the interior part of
which fhould contain a great number of
long fmall petals, imbricating each other,
and rather reverting from the centre of
the bloffom; there are a great number of
fmall flender ftamens, intermixed with
thefe petals, but they are (hort, and not
eafily difcernible.

The colours fhould be clear and
diftinft when diverfified in the fame
flower, or brilliant and ftriking if it
confifts only of one colour, as blue,
crimfon, or fcarlet, Sec. in which cafe,
the bottom of the broad exterior petals
is generally white ; but the beauty and
contraft is conliderably increafed when
both the exterior and interior petals are
regularly marked with alternate blue and
white, or pink and white, &c. ftripes,
which in the broad petals fhould not
extend quite to the margin.

ON

^^^5

ON VARIOUS

BULBOUS-ROOTED FLOWERS.

O OME (hort account of a few other
bulbous perennial flowers may not
be improperly introduced in this place ;
but the greater part being of little value,
and eafily cultivated, it does not feem
neceflary to enter into a very minute or
prolix inveftigation of their properties
or culture.

A good, found, frefli foil, either of
the black or loamy kind, with the addi-
tion of a little coarfe fea, or river fand,
placed round the roots on planting, and
manured with rotten cow-dung, two years
old, if the foil and fituation be dry and
warm, or rotten horfe-dung if it be cold

and

104 ON VARIOUS

and wet, is all the compoft or prepara-
tion required for the greater part of
thefe flowers, obferving that the dung
(hould never come in conta6l with the
bulbs, or be placed at (b great a depth
from the furface of the foil as to lofe the
advantage of the due a6lion of the air
upon it, which would render it poifonous
inftead of nutritious : in fliort, it (hould
never be placed more than eight or ten
inches deep, on any occafion, where it
can pofFibly be avoided.

The Polyanthus-NarcifTus confifts of
many varieties, each fort produces feveral
flowers on one ftalk ; the roots may be
planted in September or October, about
three or four inches deep ; they fucced
befl: in rather a warm, dry foil and
fituation ; but if the foil happens to
be the reverfe, the bed fliould be raifed
feven or eight inches above the common
3 level,

BULBOUS -FLOWERS. 105

level, and muft be covered with ftraw
in cafe of fevere froft, fo as to preferve
the roots from it. The fur face of the
bed fhould be formed rather rounding,
or mats on hoops fiiould be placed over
it, in cafe of exceffive rains. The roots
may remain two or three years in the
ground without being difturbed : it will
then be neceflary to take them up, in
order to feparate their offsets, which by
being longer conne6led with the old roots,
will caufe them to blow fmall and weak.
Their bloom will be preferved longer
in beauty, like that of all other flowers,
if (haded from the heat of the fun,
and preferved from rains : when the
circulation of their juices ceafes, and
their foliage becomes yellowifli, the roots
may be taken up, cured, and pre-
ferved in the fame manner as dire6i:ed
for Hyacinths.

P Double-

io6 ON VARIOUS

Double-NarcifTus (Daffodils) confift of
feveral varieties ; they are hardier than
the former, the Italian excepted : and
may be treated in nearly a fimilar
manner; but are in lefs danger from
the effe6ls of froft.

Jonquils ; Englifh, Spanifh, and Per-
fian Bulbous-Iris ; the three firft confift
of feveral varieties ; they may be planted
about two inches deep, at the fame
time, and treated in the fame manner as
Polyanthus-Narciffus : the Spanifh Bulb-
ous-Iris is very hardy.

Crown-Imperials, Lilies, and Paeonies,
confift of feveral varieties ; thefe may be
planted in Autumn, about four or five
inches deep, in any foil or fituation, being
extremely hardy ; they do not require to
be taken up till the third or fourth year,
and then only to feparate their offsets.

Martagons

BULBOUS -FLOWERS. 107

Martagons (Mountain-Lilies with in-
verted bells and reflexed petals) confill
of many varieties, and may be treated
in the fame manner as other Lilies ;
they, however, make the bell appearance
on a bed by themfelves, and will grow
ftronger with the addition of fome
manure, at the depth of fix inches
from the furface.

The Arum Dracunculus, Lilium Perfi-
cum, and Pancratium Maritimum, may
be planted in September and Oftober, co-
vered with foil, about one or two inches
above the top of the root : they are
very hardy.

Colchicums, Autumnal Crocufes, Fri-
tillaries, Dog's-Tooth Violets, Orchis's,
Snake's-Head Lis, and various Hya-
cinths, &c. may all be planted about one
inch deep, and remain in the ground
till it becomes neceffary to feparate their

offsets :

io8 ON VARIOUS

offsets : if required to be removed, it is
advifable to do it wliilft their juices are
in a flate of inaftivity, early in the au-
tumn ; but they are all extremely hardy,
and will bear removal at almoft any
feafon of the year.

Anemonoides are to be treated like
Anemones, except the Alba, Lutea,
and Rofea,^ the roots of which are very
long and fmall, and will not bear to be
kept long out of ground in a dry flate.

Spring-Crocufes, and the hardy forts
of Gladiolus, may be planted any time
in the autumn, about one inch deep,
and require no covering from froft.

Cyclamens fhouid be planted early in
autumn, one inch deep, in pots filled
with found rich earth, mixed with fand.
Thofe forts that bloom in the autumn

' Thefe three forts are not of the fame fpecies, although
fo called by FIori(ts.

fhould

BULBOUS-FLOWERS. 109

ftiould be planted in the fpring ; they
will not require to be tranfplanted oftener
than once in two or three years, and
Ihould have pots proportionably larger
as their roots increafe in bulk : they are
propagated only from feed, and are not
very tender, except the autumnal Ane-
mone-rooted fort, which fucceeds beft
in a hot-houfe or green-houfe.

The Lilium Fl. Aur. Max. Fol. Elesr.
Var. is the moft delicate of all the
forts of Lily, and has the fmallefl root :
it fhould be planted in rather a warmer
fituation than the reft, about one inch
deep, and be covered with ftraw during
fevere froft.

Antholyza's, Ixia's, Crinum's, Guern-
fey and Jacobea Lilies, Oxalis, Morea,
Amaryllis, Pancratiums, the Mariti-
mum excepted, and the tender forts
of Gladiolus, fhould all be planted in

autumn,

no BULBOUS-FLOWERS.

autumn, in pots proportionate to the
fize of the bulbs, fo that the top of the
root be one inch below the furface of
the earth, which fhould be light and
rich. They are all tender, and fucceed
beft in a hot-houfe or green-houfe : it
is, however, abfolutely neceflary to pre-
ferve them from every degree of froft ;
they require but little water in winter,
and fhould have the advantage of as
much light and air as can be admitted
with fafety.

It would exceed the intended limits
of this treatife to enter upon the culture,
&c. of the almoft innumerable fpecies
and varieties of other bulbous, herba-
ceous, annual, and perennial flowers,
which are of little import to the flower
fancier ; and fo well known, in general,
as to render an addition of the kind,
to this work, by no means neceflary.

Q On

On auricula.

— »»»3!3)SS£C«»"

^ I ^ H E compofl proper for the Auricula
fhould confift of the following ingre-
dients, in the annexed proportions, viz.

One half rotten cow-dung, two years
old.h

One fixth frefh found earth, of an
open texture.

One eighth earth of rotten leaves.

One twelfth coarfe fea, or river, fand.

One twenty-fourth foft, decayed wil-
low wood.'

One twenty-fourth peaty, or moory
earth.

One twenty-fourth afhes of burnt ve-
getables.

^ Why proper to make ufe of the dung two years old,

vide the fupplement.
' Found in the trunks of old willow trees.

In

112 AURICULA.

In order to procure the lafl article
with very Httle trouble, any weeds, fticks,
ftraw, or old mats, that are of no other
value, may be collected together in a
heap, and confumed by fire, in the open
air, till their allies become white ; they
will contain a fmall portion of alkaline
falts, and fhould be fpread upon the
furface of the other insfredients.

The compoll is to be placed in an
open fituation, perfeftly expofed to the
a6lion of both air and fun, from the
influence of which it will reap great
benefit : it fliould be turned over once
or twice, and as often pafs through a
coarfe fkreen, or fieve, that it may be
well mixed, and incorporated : it fliould
then be laid in a regular heap, or mafs,
from fifteen to eighteen inches thick,
but not more ; in this flate it may remain
a year before it is made ufe of, during

which

AURICULA. 113

which period it will be proper to turn
it over two or three times, in order to
expofe all its parts to the atmofphere,
to mature and meliorate them more
perfe6lly: the compoft (hould always be
kept free from weeds, as they rob it of
its nutritive qualities.

The due preparation and proper
confiftence of the compoft is of very
great importance : nor will the plants
fucceed well, for any confiderable length
of time, if this part be not particularly
attended to.

The pots come next under confidera-
tion, as they are the next article to be
provided : thefe fliould be hard baked,
and fhaped as follows, viz. the interior
diameter of the top fix inches and a
half, the bottom four inches, and about
feven inches deep, for common fized
blooming plants ; but fmaller plants

Q and

114 AURICULA.

and oflFsets fliould have fhallower pots,
of a proportionate width and depth,
and very large plants may have pots of
a larger fize, in the fame proportion ;
the infide of the bottom of the pots
ftiould have a fmall degree of concavity,
and a little hole in the centre, of about
half an inch in diameter, that no water
may lodge or remain in that part ; the
rims of the pots fliould proje6l on the
outfide, about half an inch, for the
greater eafe and fafety in taking them
up, or removing them from one place
to another.

New pots obtain in the operation of
baking or burning an abforbent quality,
and it is neceflary to faturate them
perfedly with water, before they are
made ufe of for the plants ; this may be
effe61:ed by burying them in wet earth,
©r immerfing them in water for three or

four

AURICULA. 115

four days, or a week, before they are
wanted for ufe : the harder the pots
are baked the lefs they abforb ; at the
fame time they are much ftronger, and
will confequently be of longer duration.

The moft advifable time to tranfplant,
or as it is ufually termed to pot Auricu-
las, is immediately, or foon after bloom,
and this (hould be repeated annually
(notwithftanding the opinion of fome
people to the contrary, who fay the
plants bloom better the fecond year
after potting) for this obvious reafon,
that it preferves the health and conflitu-
tion of the plants, by affording them a
frefh fupply of nutriment ; and at the
fame time the cultivator has an oppor-
tunity of curtailing their fibres, if grown
very long, or of cutting off the lower
part of the main root, if too long, or
the end of it if decayed ; thereby forcing

the

ii6 AURICULA.

the plants, as it were, into a flate of
aftion, and caufing a continued circula-
tion of their juices, during the fummer,
in the formation of new fibres, for their
ncceffary fuftenance and fupport : where-
as, if this operation of potting is not
performed till the fecond year, the foil
muft have lofl a confiderable part of
its nutritious quality, which will produce
a proportionate decline in the ftrength
of the plants : and if it be deferred till
the autumn, there will not be time for a
fufficient reprodu6lion of the fibres before
winter fets in, the effe6ls of which will
be a faint-coloured and w^eak bloom the
enfuing fpring.

But the mod dangerous confequence
arifing from an omiffion to pot Auriculas
in the fpring, is their remaining too
much in a ftate of inaftivity during the
heats of fummer, the feafon, of all others,

whereirx

AURICULA. 117

wherein they are moft liable to contraft a
deftruftive difeafe, which has fometimes
been known to take place in fo extenfive
and extreme a degree, as to fweep away
the greateft part of a large colle6lion in
the courfe of a few months : nor has this
occurred only in a fmgle inftance, it has
happened to feveral very capital collec-
tions, both in this country and abroad ;
but it feldom or never occurs in a cool
and wet climate.

It is almofl impoffible to flop the
baneful influence and progrefs of this
diftemper, when it has once taken pof-
feflion, and more efpecially when it has
been occafioned by a defeclive or impro-
per compoft, rather tending to increafe the
diftemper than to aflift nature in throwing
it off: the fafeft method is to remove any
plant that appears infected, as foon as it
is difcovered to be fo, to a part of the

garden

Ii8 AURICULA.

garden remote from the healthy plants,
that the contagion may not reach them :
the firfl fymptoms of the diforder in the
plants is a lofs of verdure, or a yellowifh
lickly appearance ; they foon after decay
on one fide, and become crooked, or
elfe the main root of the plant rapidly
decays quite through, and the head drops
off; in fa6l, the juices of the plant are
vitiated at the time the foliage begins to
appear fickly, fo that no time muff be
loft in frefli potting it into proper foil,
and removing it to a cool (haded fitua-
tion : this is the only likely method to
recover the infeded plants, or to prevent
the total deftru61ion of the colle6lion ;
but it is certainly more advifable to avoid
fo dangerous a malady, by frefli potting
the plants in the fpring, than to run any
fuch rifque as the before mentioned, by
deferring the operation till autumn, or

poftponing

AURICULA. 119

poftponing it to the fecond year ; it
likewife affords an opportunity to take
off the offsets, which will at this feafon of
the year flrike fibre freely, and become
well eftablifhed before the return of winter.

The only obje6lion of any importance,
againll: fpring-potting, is, that fome forts
will in confequence be more inclined to
blow in the following autumn, and there-
by deprive the plant of its capacity to
bloom well the enfuing fpring : this,
however, occurs but in few inftances.

In potting or tranfplanting Auriculas,
the plant fhould be carefully turned out
of the former pot, and the earth fhaken
from its fibres, which fhould be curtailed
if found too long and numerous, toge-
ther with the lower end of the main root,
and the fibres attached to that part, if it
appears too long, or fomewhat decayed,
for reafons before given ; the plant is to

be

120 AURICULA.

be at the fame time carefully examined,
and wherever any unfoundnefs appears,
it muR be entirely eradicated by means
of a (harp pen-knife, let the extent of
it be ever fo great, till no appearance of
decay remains ; particularly in that part of
the main root where it enters the furface
of the earth, or as the failors phrafe it,
betwixt wind and w^ater, which being
alternately wet and dry, is more fubjeft
to decay than any other part, and for
the fame reafon is the moil difRcult to
heal : the wounded part fhould be imme-
diately expofed to the fun, and when
the furface of the wound is perfeftly
dry, a cement fliould be applied, con-
fiding of bees-wax and pitch, about one
half of each, warmed and foftened in
the fun, or by a fire, to make it adhere
more firmly on application : this will
become clofe and hard when cold, will
3 refill

AURICULA. 121

refifl moifture, and is the beft application
to prevent further progrefs of the decay
yet difcovered. Whenever the lower
leaves of the plant, next the furface of
the earth, become yellow, or dried up, it
is proper to ftrip them off, in a direftion
downwards. On re-planting, a pot fuitable
to the fize of the plant is to be felefted; it
is to have a hollow oyfler (hell placed with
its convex fide upwards, over the hole at
the bottom, and then to be about three
parts filled with the compoft, higher in
the middle than at the fides : the plant
is next to be placed thereon, with its
fibres regularly diftributed all round, fo
as nearly or quite to reach the fides of
the pot, which is afterwards to be filled
up with the compoft, adding a little
clean coarfe fand clofe round the ftem
of the plant, on the furface : the bottom
of the pot fliould then be gently ftruck

R two

122 AURICULA.

two or three times againft the table,
which is fuppofed to be made ufe of
for the fake of convenience in the opera-
tion, in order to render the foil more firm
and compaft ; this will caufe it to fink
or fubfide about half an inch below the
top of the pot, which will prevent the
lofs of water when it is adminiftered.

N. B, The true depth to plant an
Auricula, is within about half an inch
of the bottom of its lowefl or outfide
leaves ; as the new and moft valuable
fibres proceed from that part, fo they
fhould immediately meet with earth to
ftrike into, or otherwife they will perifh :
it will likewife encourage the offsets, if
there be any, to ftrike root fooner than
they would do if not in contaft with the
foil. When the offsets have formed one
or more fibres, of an inch or two in
length, they may, by means of a piece of

hard

AURICULA. 123

hard wood, or by the ufe of the fingers,
be feparated from the old plant with
fafety, and re-planted round the fides of
a fmall pot, filled with the fame compoft,
till they become fufficiently grown to
occupy pots feparately : if a fmall hand
glafs be placed over each pot containing
thefe newly planted offsets, it will caufe
their fibres to grow more rapidly ; but it
ftiould not be long continued, as it
would have a tendency to draw and
weaken the plants.

In the beginning of May, as foon as
the operation of potting is performed,
the plants are to be placed in an airy,
fhaded fituation, but not under the drip
of trees : the following is recommended
as a proper plan for the fummer repofi-
tory, viz. In the firfl place, there fliould
be a bed of coal-afhes formed in the
place where it is intended to be ere61ed,

about

124 AURICULA.

about five or fix inches thick ; or a plat-
form of plain fquare tiles, clofely fitted
to each other, on the furface of the
ground, to preferve the pots from the
common earth-worm, which, by gaining
admittance into them , would perforate , and
alter the confiflence of the foil, in fuch a
manner as to prove very injurious ; upon
this foundation, rows of bricks are to
be placed in flralght lines, about two or
three inches afunder, which will allow
a free circulation of air under and be-
tween the pots when placed upon them,
an obje6l of great importance, efpecially
in warm weather, when the air is mod
inclined to ftagnate, and become impreg-
nated with noxious effluvia.

The plants, by the above plan, will be
raifed from nine to twelve inches above
the level of the afhes or platform.

There

AURICULA. 125

There fliould be two rows of fubflantial
flakes, three feet long, and five inches
by three wide, one row of which (hould
be placed on each fide, at about three or
four inches diftance from the two outfide
rows of pots : thefe flakes fhould be
driven twenty inches into the ground,
with their narrow fides towards the pots,
and have notches cut in their tops, to
receive the edges of the fhutters they
are intended to fupport.'^ By way of
illufliration, fuppofe the whole length of
the platform to be twelve yards, and the
width three feet, it will contain feven
rows, and each row about feventy pots,
a fufficient number to conftitute a mode-
rate colle6lion for a private gentleman.
Five fhutters, made with feather-edged
inch deal boards, each four yards long,
and two feet fix inches wide, will reach

^ Vide Plate 6. Fig. 1.

the

126 AURICULA.

the whole lens^th on one fide : three of
the notched flakes will be fufficient to
fupport one of thefe fhutters; of courfe,
fifteen ftakes at proper diftances will com-
pletely anfwer the purpofe on one fide:
the notches are to be cut in the form of aV,
two inches deep, and three inches wide at
the top, which will give room for the fhut-
ters to move backwards and forwards with-
out difificulty or danger of flipping out.

Both fides are thus to be provided
with flakes and fhutters, the upper
edges of the latter fhould meet over
the centre of the platform, when the
plants require to be covered with them,
in the form of the ridge or roof of a
houfe, well fitted and floping equally
on both fides, fo as to throw off rain,
without even admitting it to drip
through upon the plants in any part.

It

AURICULA. 127

It is neceflary that a rail, or row of
flakes, of a proper height and ftrength,
fhould proceed from the ground between
the two middle rows of pots, to fupport the
fhutters when clofed or clofing, efpecially
as it is ufually more convenient to begin
to cover or uncover on one fide firft,
and finifh on the other ; without a fup-
port of this kind, in fuch cafe, the
fliutters mufl fall down upon the
plants : a (imilar, exterior rail, or row
of flakes, is neceflary on each fide,
to fupport the fhutters when open,
with the fame degree of flope, in a
contrary dire6lion than when clofed ; by
which means the plants will have a free
communication with the air, whether
covered or open; nor are they entirely
deprived of light, when the fhutters are
clofed, becaufe the lower edge of the
fhutters is as high or higher than the

top

128 AURICULA.

top of the plants at all times. The
peculiar advantage arifing from this plan
is, that when the plants require to be
fhut up from excefs of rain, they have
at the fame time the advantage of a
continual fupply and free circulation of
frefh air, which paffes amongft their
leaves in all direftions; whereas thofe
who are obliged to fliut up their plants
in a clofe frame, to exclude excefs of
rain from them, oftentimes fhut them
up in a wet flate, as foon as it is
judged they have had a fufiBciency :
this is a very dangerous, though not
unufual mode of pra8:ice, and often
produces a mildew which is attended
with the mod deftru^live confequences.

The importance of a proper con-

flru£led repofitory, and fuitable treatment

of the plants, for the fummer feafon,

will fufficiently apologize for any pro-

3 lixity

AURICULA. 129

lixity in the defcription : it cannot indeed
be too ftrongly imprefled on the mind of
the cultivator of this delicate flower,
that his fuccefs more particularly depends
on the health and vigour of his plants
towards the -end of fummer, than at any
other period of the year. The plants,
after being placed in the fummer repo-
fitory, are to be kept moderately moift :
if the rains that happen are not fufficient,
they mud be occafionally watered with
foft water, by a fmall pot^ with a round
curved fpout, about twelve inches long :
the pot fhould hold about two quarts of
water, fo as to be eafily manageable with
one hand, and the fpout fhould be nar-
rowed in the middle ; for inftance, if it
is an inch wide at the end next the pot,
it (hould be about half an inch wide at
its mouth or other extremity, and about
^ Vide Plate 5. Fig. 8.

S a quarter

130 AURICULA.

a quarter of an inch wide in the middle ;
it will then deliver the water in a full
perpendicular volume, and in fo foft
and gentle a manner as not to wafii
the furface of the foil into holes, in the
fmallefl; degree ; but the mouth of the
fpout fhould be held very near the fur-
face, and be brifkly moved round the
plant, taking care not to let any water
fall into the heart, or amongft the interior
leaves of the plant, as it could not
fpeedily dry up in that part, and, of
courfe, would endanger a decay ; any
water lodging in the heart of the plants
in fpring, w^hen the bloflbms begin to
make their appearance, cannot fail to
injure them confiderably.

The plants are to remain in their
fummer fituation till September or O6I0-
ber, as the weather may be more or lefs
favourable, or until the heat of the fun

has

AURICULA.

131

has confiderably decreafed ; they are then
to be removed into their winter repofitory,
which is to be conftru6led in a manner
exaftly fimilar to that for the fummer
feafon, with only one exception, viz. that
the fouth-fide of it (hould confift of frames
of glafs, inftead of the wooden fliut-
ters:"' thefe are to a6l in the fame manner,
but will admit of light when the plants
are of neceffity (hut up from adverfe
weather, which frequently occurs during
winter ; the admiffion of light at fuch
times is indifpenfably neceflary to the
well-being of the plants, efpecially when
the long continuance of rain, or fevere
froftj renders it requifite to keep them
covered, fometimes perhaps for a day or
two, with little or no intermiflion.

* Vide Plate 6. Fig. 1. for a perfpedive view of th:
winter repofitory.

In

132 AURICULA.

In the firfl favourable weather that
occurs in February, it is neceflary to
dived the plants of their decayed exterior
leaves ; and by the middle of that month,
the operation of earthing up, as it is
termed, fhould commence ; that is to fay,
the fuperficial earth of the pot fhould
be carefully taken away, about an inch
deep, and frefh compoft, with the
addition of a little loam, to give it
more tenacity, fliould be fubflituted in
its flead : this will contribute greatly
to the ftrength of the plants, and the
vigour of their bloom ; at the fame time
it will afford a favourable opportunity
to feparate fuch offsets as fhall appear
poffeffed of fufficient fibre, to be taken
off at this early feafon with fafety : thefe
offsets, when properly planted in fmall
pots, fliould be placed in a frame, in

fome

AURICULA. 133

fome warm fheltered fituation, till their
roots are eftabliflied.

The Auricula is by no means a tender
plant, yet it will be proper to cover the
repofitory with mats, in cafe of fevere
frofl; for although it probably would
not deftroy the plants, unlefs it happened
in an extreme degree, it would, how-
ever, injure them, and perhaps fpoil
their bloom, particularly, early in the
fpring, when the ftem begins to rife;
it would certainly, at that period, deftroy,
or render the pips " abortive.

If any plant is poflefled of more than
one or two principal ftems, it is advifable
to pinch off the pips of the fmalleft and
weakeft, in order to render the bloffoms
of the remaining one larger and more

* The word Pip is a term fubftituted by Florifts, for the
corolla of the Auricula and Polyanthus.

vigorous

134 AURICULA.

vigorous than they would be if this
was omitted to be done in due time.

It is a curious fa6l, that thofe forts
which are naturally poffeffed of a fine
green on the edge or margin of the
flower, are often known to lofe that
property, when the ftem proceeds from
the very heart or centre of the plant :
whereas thofe flems that proceed from
the fide, produce larger pips, poffeffing
their true natural colours in much greater
perfe6lion ; thefe lafl are called the winter
flems, becaufe they are ufually forwarder,
and produce their flowers rather earlier
in the feafon than thofe which proceed
from the centre of the plant.

When the pips become turgid, and
begin to expand, they mud be preferved
from rain ; nor fliould they remain any
longer in a fituation expofed to cold
winds : on the contrary, fuch plants

ought

AURICULA. 135

ought to be fele6led from the reft, and
removed to a calm, fhady corner, where
they fhould have fmall hand glafles fuf-
pended over them in fuch a manner as to
preferve the bloom from rain, &c.° and
yet admit a free circulation of air, both
to the plant and to the bloflbm, it being
equally neceflary for the one as for
the other.

The ftage for the pots to ftand upon,
whilft in bloom, comes next under con-
fideration : ^ it fliould have a northern
afpeft, that the fun may not fliine on the
flowers ; it (hould confift of four rows of
(helves, in the form of fteps, but muft
not exceed five ; the front, or loweft
flielf, (hould be two feet five inches from
the ground, the fecond about three inches
higher than the firft, and the reft in the

" Vide Plate 5. Fig. 6.

P Vide Plate 6. Fig. 2.

fame

13^ AURICULA.

fame proportion ; thefe (helves fhould be
about fix inches wide, ftrong, and well
fupported, otherwife the weight of the
pots will caufe them to bend or give way.
If the flage confifts of four rows of
fhelves, its depth, from front to back,
ought to be about two feet eight inches ;
the north or front elevation of the ftage
fliould not be lefs than feven feet, gra-
dually floping to about five feet fix
inches on the fouth-fide ; the roof (hould
confiO; of frames of glafs.

N. B. Thofe frames of glafs made ufe of
on the fouth-fide of the winter repofitory,
will anfwer extremely well for this pur-
pofe ; but as they will not be wide enough
to form the roof completely, without addi-
tion, a fingle row of feather-edged boards
may be placed on the lowed part of the
(lope, and the lower edge of the frames of
glafs may reft upon them ; thefe boards
3 will

AURICULA. 137

will anfwer another good purpofe, by
preventing the fun, which at this feafon
of the year has obtained a confiderable
degree of altitude, from fhining on the
firft and fecond rows of plants, during
the middle of the day, when it has moil
power ; although the plants of the back
row will, in confequence, have rather lefs
light, yet it is not fo materially injurious
as the former.

Thofe who make ufe of boards, or any
dark covering, for the roof of their
ftage, thereby caufe their plants to be
drawn and weakened ; the ftems alfo
grow to a great length, and are unable
to fupport themfelves in an ere6l pofition
without props, which have no very
agreeable appearance ; the pips, like-
wife, will neither be fo large, nor their
colours fo ftrong and good, as when light
is more copioufly admitted.

T The

138 AURICULA.

The pofts fupporting the roof of the
ftage, on the fouth-fide, may be fo con-
flru6led, and placed at fuch diftances from
each other, as that the wooden fhutters,
made ufe of on the north-fide of the winter
repofitory, may fit between them, and
form a regular fhed, as low or lower
than the higheft flielf: the remaining
fpace to the ground may be left open in
mild calm weather, or may be eafily
clofed up, by a line of mats fewed toge-
ther, in cafe of the reverfe. The eafl:
and weft ends of the ftage fhould be
entirely boarded up from top to bottom,
and the front left open, unlefs in unfa-
vourable weather, and at night ; at thefe
times, it may be defended by frames of
wood, covered with canvafs : thefe ftiould
be about fix feet wide, fufpended from
the front edge of the roof by hinges ;
they will ferve both to defend the bloom,

when

AURICULA. 139

when let down, and alfo by each having
two fmall iron rods, about five feet fix
inches long, conne£i:ed with their loweft
edges by ftaples, that will allow them to
move in any direftion, and fiipport them
when up ; will defend the path in front
from rain, take off the glare of light
when the fun (hines, and at the fame time,
defend the fpe6lators from its heat.

The infide of the back and ends of the
flage, and the (helves likewife, (liould be
painted black, or fome very dark colour,
by way of contraft to the white eyes, &c.
of the» flowers : and if a large looking-
glafs be placed at each end of the ftage,
the effe£l produced will be very pleafing,
by apparently lengthening the ftage each
way as far as the eye can reach.

As Auriculas and Hyacinths generally
blow exadly at the fame time, the
beauty and elegance of the fcene is

confiderably

140 AURICULA.

confiderably increafed by having a ftage
of the former, and a bed of the latter,
under the fame awning, with an interme-
diate path, about fix feet wide ; in which
cafe, if the cloth covering of the Hya-
cinths is fine enough to admit a fufficiency
of light, it may be continued over the
Auricula ftage, inftead of the glafs and
boards, and will anfwer all purpofes
tolerably well with little trouble : or other-
wife, the edge of the cloth covering, for the
bed and path, may be nailed to the upper
or front edge of the glafs frames, over the
Auriculas, in fuch manner as effe'6lually
to prevent rain dripping through in that
quarter.

A row of fine Polyanthufes, in pots,
may likewife be introduced in front of
the Hyacinths, as they likewife blow
at the fame time ; it will add to the
variety, and form altogether a more

elegant

AURICULA. 141

elegant aflemblage of beautiful fragrant
flowers than any other feafon of the year
can afford.

The talleft blowing Auriculas fliould
ftand on the laft or moft diftant ftielf,
and the fliorteft in front ; thofe ftems
which are weak, and bend, fliould be fup-
ported with fmall wires, fixed in the
earth behind them, fo as not to be
eafily difcerned. If any of the ftems and
bloflbms of thofe in the back row incline
forward too much towards the light,
they may be eafily recovered to an ere6l
pofition, by turning the pots for a few
hours in the morning ; but the glafs roof
will render very little of this trouble
neceflary : the pots muft be regularly
watered, two or three times every week,
during the bloom.

When the bloom is declined, the plants
are to be removed into their fummer re-

pofitory,

142 AURICULA,

pofitory, where they will foon recover
their former ftrength and vigour, which,
notwithflanding the utmoft care and
precaution, will have been in fome degree
impaired by {landing two or three weeks
upon the ftage.

During fummer they mufl be kept
regularly watered, in the manner before
dire6led, and the earth of the furface
mufl be flirred a little occafionally till
September, about which time it will be
proper to remove them into winter
quarters, where they are to remain till
the approach of bloom, as aforefaid.

No perfon can depend on a complete
flage of Auriculas, who is not provided
in autumn, or early in the fpring, with
twice as many blowing plants as his
flage will contain, becaufe fome will
eventually prove defe6live, and fail in
one refpe6l or other : and a fucceflion of

proper

AURICULA. 143

proper plants in bloom will be required to
replace fuch, as being earlier than the
reft, or of fhorter duration, are no longer
eligible to remain on the ftage, and
ought, in confequence, to be taken away,
and more fuitable ones brought on, in
their ftead.

Whenever the outfide leaves of the
plants appear yellow, or dried up, they
fhould be carefully pulled off; becaufe
when they become wet, there is danger
of a mouldinefs or infeftion taking place
in that part of the plant to which they
are connefted.

But whenever the furface of the earth
in the pots appears green, or moffy, it is
indifpenfably neceflary to ftir it up about
an inch deep, if poffible, without dif-
turbing or breaking off any of the fibres :
if, indeed, trouble were not confidered,
it would be moft advifable to take away

the

144 AURICULA.

the mofly furface entirely, and fubftitute
frefh compoft inftead of it ; if, however,
feafonable ftirringbe attended to properly,
this green or mofly furface will never
appear, and it will likewife prove emi-
nently beneficial in other refpefts.

The fure{^ and beft method to obtain
fine Auriculas from feed, is as follows,
viz. In the firft place, young, healthy,
and flrong plants fhould be provided,
of capital high-coloured forts, poflefling
firft rate properties : thefe, on the ap-
proach of bloom, (hould be detached
from the reft, to a remote part of the
garden, and there expofed to the fun,
air, and rain, when the laft is in modera-
tion ; but if in excefs, they ftiould be
preferved from it by mats on hoops, or
the fmall hand-glaffes ufed for the other
plants, previous to their being ftaged,
may be placed over them. In dry
3 weather,

AURICULA.

145

weather, the feed plants muft be regu-
larly watered, in the manner before
direfted, or otherwife with a fine rofe,
as often as they appear to require it :
much depends on a due attention to this
particular point.

The feed will commonly ripen in June
and July; it is advifable frequently to
vifit the plants at this period, and care-
fully to gather fuch pods or heads of
feed as appear perfeftly dry and brown,
and begin to open : if all the pods upon
the fame ftem are ripe together, they
may be cut off with part of the ftem to
which they are conne6led ; but if fome
of the pods are not fufficiently ripe,
fuch as are fhould be carefully picked
out from the refl, as they become fo.
The feed, thus collecled, fliould remain
in the pericarpium, or feed-veffel, in a
dry room, till the feafon for fovving.

U January,

146 AURICULA.

January, or early in February, is the
proper time to fow Auricula feed, and
the following method of raifmg it, is
recommended as the mod certain of being
attended with fuccefs.

A hot bed, with frames and glafs
li^hfs, fimilar to thofe made ufe of for
cucumbers and melons, is to be in readi-
nefs. Provide a box, or boxes, about five
or fix inches deep, fill it with the com-
poft, and gently (hake or ftrike it againfl
the ground, till the earth fettles a little :
make the furface perfeftly fmooth and
even, and fow the feed with the utmoll:
regularity; then fift, through a fine wired
fieve, a little compofl:, or decayed willow
mould, upon it, fufficient only jull to
cover the feed, and place the box in the
frame on the furface of the hot bed ;
the glafles mud be placed over it, and
fo managed as to preferve a moderate

and

AURICULA. 147

and equal degree of warmth, both day
and night, but muft be occafionally open-
ed, or raifed up at the higher end, to
admit frefli air, and to fuffer the exhala-
tions from the bed to efcape, which is
a very effential point.

The fuperior advantage this has Dver
the common methods of railing the
feed, is, that it forces every live grain
into vegetation in about three weeks,
if the warmth of the bed is properly
kept up : whereas, by the more ufual
mode of expofure to the open air, the
greater part does not vegetate till the
fecond year ; and the weaker feeds, which
are probably the mofl valuable, feldom
vegetate at all.

The earth and feed raufl always be
kept moderately moift, but never very
wet ; the beft method of watering it is
by means of a hard clothes-brufh, dipped

into

148 AURICULA.

into foft water, which has had its chill
taken off by {landing in the fun, the hair
fide being quickly turned upwards, and
the hand rubbed brifkly over it, will
caufe the water to fly off in an oppofite
direftion, in particles almofl as fine as dew;
a fufficient watering may in this manner
be given in a few minutes. If it is found
impoffible to preferve the heat of the firft
bed till the feed has all vegetated, it will
be proper to remove the box to a fecond,
prepared in the fame manner, which will
infallibly anfwer the purpofe with pro-
per management : if the furface of the
earth in the box is inclining to become
moffy, or mouldy, it mufl be flirred all
over very carefully with a pin, about as
deep as the thicknefs of a fliilling.

At the expiration of three, four, or at
mofl: five weeks, the young plants will
all make their appearance: it then be-
comes

AURICULA.

49

comes neceflary to give them very gra-
dually more air, in order to harden and
render them more fit for an entire expo-
fure to it, which they will be able to bear
in a fortnight or three weeks afterwards :
at which time the box fhoiild be taken
out of the frame, and placed in rather a
warm fituation, though not too much ex-
pofed to the fun, till towards the end of
April, when it may again be removed to a
cooler afpecl, where it can only receive
the fun till nine o'clock in the morning ;
and in May, if the weather is hot, it
(hould be placed in the mod cool and
airy part of the garden, not negleding,
at any time, to keep the earth moderately
moid ; but at the fame time preferving it
from violent rains whenever they occur.
As foon as any of the plants appear
with fix leaves, fuch fhould be taken out
from the reft, and tranfplanted into other

boxes,

150 AURICULA.

boxes, filled with the compoft, about
an inch and a half, or two inches afun-
der ; and when they are again grown, fo
as nearly to touch each other, they may
be a fecond time tranfplanted into larger
boxes, or round fmall pots, at the dif-
tance of three or four inches, where they
fhould remain till they blow, which will
generally happen the following fpring,
perhaps before they have acquired any
confiderable fize ; and then fuch as ap-
pear to be pofTefled of merit, fhould be
marked, and the inferior ones deftroyed.
As foon as the bloom is over, fuch as
have been marked fhould be taken up,
and planted feparately in fmall pots, and
be taken the fame care of as other Auri-
culas, till they blow again ; at which
time their refpedive merits and properties
may be afcertained with more accuracy.
Such weakly plants as are not able to

blow

AURICULA. 151

blow the firft or fecond year, ought
neverthelefs to be carefully preferved ;
for amongfl: thefe it often happens that
the moft valuable flowers are to be
difcovered.

A great proportion of the feedlings,
althouo;h the feed was faved from the
heft flowers, will be plain coloured, or
felfs, which unlefs poflefled of excellent
properties in other refpefts, or being
Angularly beautiful in their colours, are
of no value, but as common border
flowers for nofegays.

A Dcfcription of the Properties of a fine
Variegated Auricula.

THE flem fiiould be Ilrong, ere61:,
and elaftic, and of a proper height, that
the bunch or trufs may be above the
foliage of the plant.

The

152 AURICULA.

The peduncles, or foot-ftalks of the
flowers, (hould alfo be flrong and elaflic,
and of a proportional length to the fize
and quantity of the pips, which fl:iould
not be lefs than feven in number, that
the bunch may be rather round, clofe,
and compaft.

The component parts of the pip, are
the tube (with its flamins and anthers) ;
the eye, and the exterior circle, contain-
ing the ground-colour, with its edge or
margin : thefe three fliould be all well
proportioned, which will be the cafe if
the diameter of the tube be one part, the
eye three, and the whole pip fix, or
nearly fo.

All the admirers of this flower agree
that the pips ought to be round ; but
this feldom happens ; and we mud be
content if they are fo nearly round as
not to be what is termed ftarry.

2 The

AURICULA.

153

The anthers, or fummits of the fta-
mins, ought to be large, bold, and fill
the tube well, and the tube fliould termi-
nate rather above the eye ; the eye (hould
be very white, fmoothj and round, with-
out any cracks, and diftinft from the
ground or felf-colour.

The ground colour fhould be bold and
rich, and equal on every fide of the eye,
whether it be in one uniform circle, or in
bright patches ; it fhould be diftin6l at the
eye, and only broken at the outward
part into the edging ; a fine black, purple,
or bright coffee-colour, contrail beft with
the eye ; a rich blue, or bright pink, is
pleafing, but a glowing fcarlet, or deep
crimfon, would be moft defirable, if well
edged with a bright green ; but this mufl
feldom be expefted.

The green edge, or margin, is the

principal caufe of the variegated appear-

X ance

154 AURICULA.

ance in this flower ; and it fliould be in
proportion to the ground-colour, z. e,
about one half of each.

The darker grounds are generally
covered with a white powder, which
feems neceflary, as well as the white eye,
to guard the flowers from the fcorching
heat of the fun's rays, which would foon
deft:roy them if they were expofed to it.

On

#S0!##!0!###i0!^S#S03S0i#iS#i0i#

On carnations.

•TP H E compoft recommended to be
ufed for fuch Carnations as are
grown in or near large towns, is as
follows, viz.

One half rotten horfe-dung, one year
old, or that has been ufed as a hot
bed for cucumbers, melons, &c.

One third frefh found loamy earth.

One fixth coarfe fea, or river, fand.

Thefe ingredients are to be mixed
together in autumn, laid in a heap about
two feet thick, in an open expofure, and
turned three or four times during winter;
or, otherwife, the dung alone, after being

ufed

1S6 CARNATIONS.

ufed as a hot bed, may be thrown toge-
ther in a heap, of a conic form, in order
to rot more perfeftly ; and, as its furface
freezes in winter, it fhould be pared off,
and laid on one fide, till the whole mafs
has been thoroughly frozen throughout ;
this may be repeated as often as the
feafon permits, and it will be com-
pletely fit for ufe the following fpring :
the earth and fand may be added to it in
March, when wanted to frefh pot the
plants for bloom : the whole fliould then
be well mixed and incorporated together,
and paffed through a coarfe fkreen or
fieve, to reduce its parts, and take out
flones, or any other extraneous fub-
ftances which it may contain. In country
places, where the air is more pure,
experience has pointed out the propriety
of ufing lefs dung, and more loam ; the
proportions of which, for fuch fituations,

3 ^^Y

CARNATIONS. 157

may be reverfed, viz. one half loamy
earth, and one third dung, with the
fand as before fpecified : the preparation
of the compoft, in other refpefts, is to
be exaQly the fame in all fituations.

The pots made ufe for fpring-potting
fhould be of the following dimenfions,
viz. at leafl twelve inches wide at the
top, fix inches at the bottom, and ten
inches deep in the inlide, with a circular
aperture in the centre of the bottom, of
about an inch in diameter ; alfo three or
four fmaller holes round the fides of the
pot, clofe to the bottom, to prevent the
polTibility of water lodging or remaining
in that part : the pots, in all other
refpe61s, are to be formed and prepared
as direfted for Auriculas.

The operation of potting fliould com-
mence about the middle of March, if the
weather is not extremely unfavourable ;

but

158 CARNATIONS.

but it fhould not, on any account, be
deferred later than the end of that
month. The pot is, in the firfl place,
to be half filled with compoft, having an
oyfter fliell, with its hollow fide down-
wards, placed over the hole in the centre
of the bottom : this compoft is to be
higher at the fides than in the centre of
the pot, and the plants intended for it,
which are fuppofed to have been wintered
in fmall Auricula pots, containing four
plants each, are to be carefully turned out
of their pots, with all the earth adhering
to them, in a ball ; and after rubbing off
about half an inch of the furface of the
old mould, round about the plants, above
their fibres, cleaning them and cutting
off the decayed points of their leaves,
the ball is to be carefully placed in the
centre of the pot, and the fpace between

it

CARNATIONS. 159

it and the fides filled up with the pre-
pared compoft.

It is very neceflary to be attentive in
placing the plants, that they be neither
planted deeper nor fhallower than they
were before ; the compoft fhould there-
fore be high enough to replace the old
earth that was rubbed off on potting,
exa6lly to the fame height as before, i, e,
half an inch higher than the ball of old
earth and fibres : and the whole furface
of the earth in the pot, when the opera-
tion is finilhed, fliould be nearly level or
flat ; but by no means higher at the
centre than at the fides, becaufe the plants
would thereby be kept too dry ; nor
fliould the compoft come nearer than
within an inch of the top or rim of the
pot, after it has been gently fiiaken, or
flruck againft the ground on finifliing, as
an inconvenience will attend its being too

full,

i6o CARNATIONS.

full, when the operation of laying
comes to be performed, which requires
fome additional mould on the furface,
for the layers to ftrike into.

When the plants are thus potted off
for bloom, the pots fhould be placed
in an open airy part of the garden,
under an arch of hoops, that in cafe of
cold drying winds, heavy rains, or frofty
nights, mats may be thrown over, to
preferve them from the effefts of fuch
unfavourable weather : in this fituation
they are to remain, always open to the
air, except in the cafes above men-
tioned, and be kept regularly watered,
with foft water, as often as appears
neceffary, either by a fine rofe, or the
fame fmall pot made ufe of for Auriculas.

When their flower-ftems are grown
eight or ten inches high, it will be necef-
fary to fupport them with flicks, forced

into

CARNATIONS. i6i

into the earth in the centre of the pot,
to which the flems are to be loofely tied
with fmall pieces of bafs mat : thefe
(licks fhould be as high as the hoops will
admit, in order that the pots may remain
under them as long as poffible ; but when
the flems are grow^n too high for this
fituation, the pots are to be removed to
the ftage, and remain there till the time
of bloom : the fmall flicks fhould be re-
placed with others more fuitable for the
occafion ; thefe fhould be about four
feet, or four feet fix inches long, regu-
larly tapering a little from the bot-
tom to the top, and be painted green ;
they fliould be fubflantial and flraight,
and their lower ends are to be forced
into the earth in the centre of the
pot, fuflBciently deep and firm, not to
be fhaken loofe by the wind. As the
flems continue to advance in height, the

Y tying,

i62 CARNATIONS.

tying, as above, muft alfo be continued,
at about every five or fix inches : it is
proper to look over and examine the
plants for this purpofe every three or
four days, as the fl;ems are rather brittle,
and liable to be broken by the wind, if
not fupported in this manner.

If any fmall, green, winged infefis
appear on the fl:ems or foliage of the
plants, particularly, upon, or underneath
the flower-pods, they muft be effe6lually
extirpated or deftroyed, either by the
means of a fmall foft brufli or feather,
by the application of a ftrong infufion of
tobacco-water, or fome fimilar eafy and
fafe expedient : even fcotch fnuff, dufted
upon the infefted parts early in the
morning, while the plants are wet with
the dew of the night, has been fometimes
tried in this cafe with fuccefs.

The

CARNATIONS. 163

The calyx of many forts contains
a great number of petals, which, as
they increafe in bulk, will diftend and
burft it, if not timely prevented : this
generally happens a few days previous to
the proper time for the bloffoms opening,
and will, if negle6led, foon manifefl the
effefts of fuch negle6l, by letting out
the petals on one fide, and thereby
producing a loofe irregular appearance,
totally deftroying that compa6l, graceful,
circular form which a perfeft flower
ought to poflefs, and which is one of
its greatefl: ornaments : but this difagree*
able effeft may be eafily avoided, by
faftening a fmall narrow flip of bladder
round the middle of the pod, where it
is mofl: fwelled, and appears to have the
greatefl: inclination to burft. The flip of
bladder fliould be rather loncrer than is
required to go once round, fo that one
2 end

iGi CARNATIONS.

end of it may lay over the other a little,
which, by the application of a little gum
water, will adhere firmly together, and
anfwer the purpofe completely. Small
flips of wet bafs mat may be fubftituted
for thofe of bladder, and being tied
with a hngle knot round the fame part
of the pod, will anfwer nearly the fame
purpofe."^

When any of the flowers begin to open
and expand, fuch (hould be (haded, both
from fun and rain, by means of (Irong
caps, or paper covers,"^ about twelve
inches in diameter, painted white or
green, and formed like an umbrella, to
throw off rain : each (hould have a fquare
tin tube on the fummit, that will permit
the (lick, to which the (lera is tied, to
pafs through it as far as is neceffary.
The tube (iiould be about two inches

■' Plate ?,. Fi-. 2. ' Plate 6. Fie. 6.

o

lons^,

CARNATIONS. 165

long, and have a fmall hole bored through
one of its fides, that it may be fixed by
a nail to any part of the flick where
required.

But when the major part are in bloom,
a cloth awning fhould be placed over the
whole, and be drawn up or let down by
means of lines and pullies, exactly in
the fame manner, and on the fame
occafions, as for the bloom of Hyacinths
and Tulips.

The fame frame that was ufed for the
Tulips, will, without being removed or
taken down, anfwer in every refpeft for
Carnations ; nor can any other more
fuitable be contrived or adopted.

In order that the flowers may appear
to the greateft advantage, it is neceffary
that the pots fliould fland upon a flage
or platform of boards' raifed about twelve

Vide Plate 5. Fig. 2.

or

i66 CARNATIONS.

or fifteen inches above the ground : this
ftage fhould be very flrongly fupported,
in order to fuflain the immenfe weight of
the pots, without danger of giving way ;
the fupporters of this platform fliould
ftand in fhallow leaden or earthen vefTels,
filled with water, to prevent the accefs of
earwigs, which are deflruftive enemies to
the bloffoms of Carnations : they fecrete
themfelves, commonly during night, in
the calyx, and foon commence their
depredations, by biting off and devouring
the lower ends, or claws, of the petals,
which, of courfe, will caufe them to drop
out, and thereby disfigure the flower.

The (lands, or refervoirs, fliould be
broad enough to allow an intermediate
fpace of water, three or four inches wide,
between their fides and the fupporters
placed in the centre of each. Earwigs
will, neverthelefs, be frequently found

amongft

CARNATIONS. 167

amongft the flowers, having been brought
upon the (lage with the pots, where they
remain concealed, or dormant, till the
flowers are in bloom ; or perhaps they
may have gained accefs by having crept
up the external frame, and from thence
fallen down upon the pots ; or they may
poflibly have flown upon them, as they
are evidently provided with wings, though
it does not appear that they often make
ufe of them. At all events, it is neceflary
frequently to examine the plants, and
the fl:icks which fupport the fl:ems, as
earwio^s will be often found concealed
there in the day-time, particularly at the
part where the flems are tied, which
affords them a more fecure hiding place.
If any of the petals hang loofe, or drop
out, it is a certain fign that an earwig is,
or has been there : in the firfl: cafe, blow-
ing forcibly with the mouth, into the

bloflbm.

i68 CARNATIONS.

bloflbm, two or three times, will caufe it
to creep out ; but if it has quitted the
bloflbm, previous to the difcovery, it
(hould be carefully fought after and
deflroyed, or it will continue its depreda-
tions the fucceeding night ; it will, how-
ever, mofl probably be found fkulking
fomewhere about the fame pot, but not
further diftant than the next, or next
but one, unlefs the fearch has been
deferred too long.

The flowers fliould be fufpended from
the flicks by fmall pieces of fine elaftic
brafs wire,* of unequal lengths, to fupport
them in an eafy graceful manner, neither
too near together nor remote from each
other ; one end of the wire fliould be
introduced into the flick, by means of a
fmall awl, and there be fixed fuflicjently
tight to prevent its droj)ping out by the

' Vide Plate 6. Fig. ^ and 7.

weight

CARNATIONS. 169

"- ' ' '

weight of the bloflbm ; the other end of
the wire (hould be formed into a fmall
ring, about a quarter of an inch in dia-
meter, to enclofe the ftem below the
calyx ; this ring (hould be a little open
on one fide, to admit the ftem freely,
without bruifing it, which would ma-
terially injure the bloom.

Thofe who are particularly curious in
blowing their Carnations, carefully ex tra6l
fuch petals as are plain, or run from
their true colours ; they perform this by
means of an inftrument adapted to the
purpofe," and with the fame arrange the
remaining petals, fo as to fupply the
defeft ; in like manner they difpofe the
"whole with fuch regularity that the flow-
ers appear to have an equal diftribution
of beautiful petals, nearly alike on every
fide, without imbricating each other, fo

" Vide Plate 6. Fig. 8.

Z as

lyo CARNATIONS.

as to hide their refpeftive beauties : and
if the bloflbm confills of too great a
number of petals, they extra6l thefmalleft,
and thereby afford the others more room
to expand, which takes off the confufed
effeft always produced by redundancy.

The pots muff be kept regularly and
conftantly watered during bloom, in the
manner before defcribed, and no favour-
able opportunity fhould be neglefted to
afford them the full advantage of expofure
to light and air, by drawing up the
cloth covering, in the manner before
defcribed ; but no rain mull be admitted to
the bloffoms at any period of the bloom.

Some place their ftage, or platform,
on one fide, others in the centre ; but a
double row of pots on each fide, with
a commodious path in the middle, is
preferable. If the pots contain only two
plants each, they confequently are not

required

CARNATIONS. 171

required to be fo large as for four or
five ; but the latter have much the bed
appearance in bloom, producing a greater
number of bloffoms : it is not however
advifable, to permit every pod to bk)W,
efpecially of fuch forts as are naturally
poffefled of but few petals ; becaufe it
would render each bloffom fmaller and
thinner than if only one or two were left
on each plant : it is, therefore, proper in
this cafe, to cut off, or draw out, the fmall
lateral pods, clofe to the main ftem, as
foon as they can be afcertained, in order
that the remainder may have time to
reap due benefit by it ; but thofe forts
that have remarkably large fhort pods,
abounding with petala, mufl be fuffered
to bloom them all, or the greater part,
although, in general, three or four pods
are as many as ought to be fuffered to
blow on one plant; thefe rules, or re-
marks,

172 CARNATIONS.

marks, admit of fome few exceptions,
but the inftances feldom occur.

The operation of laying,"^ or piping,
is to commence as foon as the plants are
in full bloom ; neverthelefs, thofe who are
particularly defirous to preferve their
bloom in the greateft perfeftion, may
defer it till the flowers are on the decline ;
but others, who are anxious to have their
plants flrong and well rooted early in the
autumn, with a view to fend them abroad
amongft their friends and acquaintance,
that their layers may be better prepared
to endure the feverities of the enfuing
winter, will, as before obferved, fucceed
beft by laying at the commencement or

" When Carnations, &c. are propagated in the open
air, by their fhoots or layers connefted with the mother
plant, the operation is called laying, or layering of
them ; but when they are propagated by cuttings, taken
from the original plant, and by artificial means caufed
to ftrike root in a confined air, it is called piping of them.

middle

CARNATIONS. 173

middle of the bloom ; at which time the
plants being full of juices and vigour,
the layers are the better nourifhed and
fupported, and fooner ftrike root : but it
muft be allowed that the bloom is confi-
derably impaired by the wounds infli6led
in the operation, and particularly fo when
performed in an early ftage of it ; the
plants feldom furvive, unlefs very ftrong
and found, or fome of the upper youno-
(hoots be left, fuch as are too fliort to be
laid with convenience, thefe will encou-
rage and continue the circulation of the
juices, if fuffered to remain. Such of
the old plants as appear likely to live
after the layers are taken off, may remain
in their pots, which fhould be placed in
the warmeft part of the garden, plunged
into the ground up to their rims, and be
defended from heavy rains, .and fevere
frofts, during winter, by hoops and mats :
3 in

174 CARNATIONS.

in the fpring of the year they may be
frefli potted like the reft.

Thofe who are defirous to obtain all
the increafe that can poflTibly be pro-
cured, even at the expence of the old
plant's life, fhould cut off all fuch (hoots
as are too fhort to be layed, and pipe
them under glalTes ; but as laying is the
mode of propagation moft ufually adopted,
eafieft to perform, and more certain of
being attended with fuccefs than piping.
To it naturally prefents itfelf as the firft
fubjeft of confideration in this place.

The beft time to lay Carnations is, as
already obferved, when the plants are
in full bloom, which generally happens
about the middle, or towards the end of
July, according as the feafon is more or
lels forward ; the praftical part of this
operation is fo well underftood by almoft
every perfon who is acquainted with the

flower,

CARNATIONS. 175

flower, as in fome meafure to preclude
the neceflity of entering into a very
minute detail of particulars : but for the
information of fuch as have not hitherto,
but who may be dehrous of becoming
cultivators of this elegant flower, it is
deemed proper to point out the method
mofl: approved, and in general pra6lice.

A fufficient quantity of bone, fern, or
wooden pegs are to be provided,"" each
to be five or fix inches long, and formed
fomewhat like the figure 7, i. e. with a
fliort hooked end.

The pot fliould be placed on a table,
or ftool, that the operator may be better
enabled to examine the plants, drefs the
layers, and perform his operation with
the greater exadnefs : he fhould aifo have
a fliarp pen-knife, and fit down when he
makes the incifion, keep his hand Ready,

"" Vide Plate 6. Fig. 3.

and

176 CARNATIONS.

" '

and his eye at a proper diilance from
the objecl.

The layer may be fuppofed to have
four or five joints, more or lefs ; the
lower leaves, next the root, are all to be
cut, or dripped off clofe, till within two
or three joints of the end or extremity of
the layer ; and its extreme points are to
be fhortened with a knife, or pair of
fciffors, fo as to leave them only an
inch and a half, or two inches, in length,
from the joint whence they proceed,
according to the ftrength and fubftance
of the layer.

All the layers in the pot are to be thus
dreffed, or prepared, before any further
procedure be made ; the furface of the
earth is then to be cleared of what may
have fallen on it, and fhould be flirred up
about an inch deep : the pot is in the
next place to be filled up nearly level

with

CARNATIONS. 177

with fome light rich mould, not of too
fine a grain ; the old Carnation com-
poft ufed lafl; year, will anfwer for this
purpofe extremely well, and part of it
fhould be referved for the occafion.

The incifion immediately follows : the
knife fhould have a fmall thin blade,
with a fmooth fharp edge ; it is to be
introduced on that fide the layer next the
ground, in a (loping direftion upwards,
to commence about a quarter of an inch
below the fecond or third joint from
the extremity, and continue through the
middle of that joint, and one half or
three quarters of an inch above it ; the
fmall portion left under, and connefted
with the joint, is to be cut off horizon-
tally, quite clofe to the bottom of the
joint, but not into it, as it is from the
outer circle of the bottom of the joint
that the fibres proceed, confequently that
A a part

178 CARNATIONS.

part fhould not be injured: but it is
neceflary to cut it off clofe to the joint,
for it would decay if fuffered to remain,
and perhaps communicate its rottennefs
to the joint itfelf, and deftroy the plant.

At the time when the incifion is made,
the fhoot, or layer, fhould be held be-
tween the thumb and finders of the left
hand, and bent upwards ; otherwife the
knife muft necefiarily enter confiderably
below the joint, in order to pafs through
the centre of it ; but when held in this
curved pofition, a quarter of an inch
below it will be fufEcient, and attended
with lefs danger than if begun lower.

After the incifion is made, the layer is
to be gently forced down to the earth,
with great care to avoid breaking it off,
or even cracking it at the joint, which
would prevent a due communication of
juices from the old plant, fo neceffary

for

CARNATIONS. 179

for the fupport of the layer, till it has
formed fuEEcient root to fupport itfelf:
it would likewife render it more liable to
decay on the application of water.

The layer is to be held down to the
furface of the earth, by one of the pegs
before defcribed, which is to be forced
into the foil, clofe behind the joint where
the incifion was made ; and it is proper to
obferve, that the fibres are fooneft formed
when the joint from whence they pro-
ceed is only jufli covered with earth:
for if it be buried more than half an
inch deep, it will lofe much of the benefit
it fhould derive from the influence of the
air, &c. and be more liable to decay ; at
all events it will require a longer time to
flrike root. The remainder of the flalk
of the layer fliould lay, as much as poffi-
ble, upon or above the furface of the
pot ; but muft by no means be covered

deep

i8o CARNATIONS.

deep in the earth, which would decay
it before it had fufficiently fupported
the layer.

Fern pegs, which in mod places are
very eafy to procure in abundance, are
rather preferable to any other : they are
already naturally formed in the ftalk of
the plant, and only require to be cut off
at fuitable lengths ; they retain a fufhcient
degree of ftrength to hold the layers
fecurely down till they have formed root,
and will decay when become no longer
needful.

It is not neceffary that the layer Ihould
have, at firft, an exaftly ereft pofition,
it will naturally foon acquire it in the
courfe of its growth; but it (hould not,
even at firft, be fo nearly horizontal as
not to allow the incifed part to open
fufficiently for the fibres to iffue forth
regularly on every fide. It is advifable

to

CARNATIONS. 181

to peg down the layers in a dry (late,
being then lefs brittle, and, confequently,
not fo liable to break off as when they
are wet and fucculent ; therefore, as foon
as the layers are drefled, the pot (hould
be placed full in the fun for half an
hour, in order to render them more
flaccid and pliant than they otherwife
would be.

But if any of the layers happen acci-
dentally to break off, they are flill capable
of being preferved by piping, together
with fuch (hoots as are too ftiort or too high
to admit of being layed conveniently, alfo
the increafe or (hoots of fuch roots as are
decayed, of which inftances v/ill always
occur in an extenfive colle6lion ; and it
frequently happens, between the times
of potting and bloom, that fome of the
plants become fickly, appear yellow and

withered,

i82 CARNATIONS.

withered, and foon perifh, unlefs their
fhoots are timely taken off and piped.

In order to fucceed in this more diffi-
cult mode of propagating the Carnation,
it is neceffary to be previoufly provided
with a hot bed, upon which is to be
placed a flratum, four or five inches
thick, of fine light mould, laid very regu-
lar and even ; the old compofh which the
Auriculas grew in the preceding year,
will be proper for this purpofe.

The cuttings intended to be piped are
to have two complete joints, that is to
fay, they are to be cut off horizontally
clofe under the fecond joint : the extre-
mities, or points of the leaves, are like-
wife to be fhortened, as for laying, which
will leave the whole length of the piping
from one inch and a half to two inches,
according to its flrength : as foon as thus
prepared, it may be thrown into a bafon

of

CARNATIONS. 183

of foft water for a few minutes, to plump
it up.

The earth on the bed where the pipings
are to be placed, Ihould be moderately
moiftened, and rendered rather compaft
than otherwife ; then take one of the fmall
hand glafles, made ufe of for blooming
the Auricula, and with it mark its dimen-
lions on the furface of the foil, in order
to know where to ftick in the pipings, fo
as to lofe no room, or endanger their
being difturbed when the glafs is placed
over them. The glaffes moil proper to
be ufed on this occafion, as well as for
AuriculaSj previous to their being placed
on the ftage, (hould be of a hexagonal
form, and fix inches in diameter ; the fix
fides fhould be about three inches deep,
and finilh with a conic hexagonal top to
throw off rain:^ each of thefe will com-

^ Vide Plate 5. Fig. 6.

modioufly

i84 CARNATIONS.

modioufly contain from fifteen to twenty-
pipings.

The dimenfions of the glafs having
been thus marked on the bed, the pipings
are to be taken out of the bafon fmgly,
and forced into the earth, in their wet
flate, with a fteady hand ; but not more
than half an inch deep.

When a fufficient number for the glafs
are thus placed regularly, at equal dif-
tances from each other, and rather more
than an inch within the mark defcribed
by the glafs, on every fide, they are to
be very gently watered, in order that the
earth may adhere more clofely to them,
and thereby keep out the air ; after this
watering, they are to remain open, but
not expofed to a hot fun, till their leaves
become perfe6lly dry, after which the
glafs is to be placed over them carefully,
on the fame mark that was made by it
3 upon

CARNATIONS. 185

upon the furface of the foil, before the
pipings were placed there.

The bottom edges of the glafs are to
be forced a little into the earth, to prevent
the admiffion of too much air, which fo
far finifhes the operation. What further
remains to be done is to attend diligently
to their management, with refpe6l to
fun and air, &c. The foil ought to
be kept regularly moift, till they have
formed their fibres ; but too much moiflure
is as prejudicial as too little, and when-
ever they are watered, the glalfes are
never to be replaced over them till their
leaves are perfeftly dry. The pipings
(hould have a little of the morning fun,
but muft be fhaded from it when the heat
becomes confiderable ; this will be eafily
effefted, by placing mats upon a flight
frame of hoops or laths erefted over the
bed, about two feet above it.

Bb The

i86 CARNATIONS.

The glafles fhould be occafionally taken
ofF to admit frefh air ; if this material
point is negle6led, the confequence will
be a green mofly appearance on the
furface of the earth, and an univerfal
mouldinefs amongft the plants, which
will deftroy them.

It requires more (kill to know when
and how long the pipings fhould be
expofed to the air, while forming root,
than for almoft any other part of the
management ; on this fingle point, in
great meafure, depends the good or ill
fuccefs of the whole undertaking.

The propagation of Carnations by
piping is always precarious : five thou-
fand plants were piped one feafon,
of which not more than one hun-
dred perifhed; whereas more than two
thoufand were loft of the fame num-
ber the year following, with but very

little

CARNATIONS. 187

little variation in the management ;
neverthelefs, fome forts fucceed much
better by piping than laying, and make
healthier plants : it requires attention and
experience to diftinguilh fuch forts from
the reft.

It is almoft, or perhaps entirely, im-
poffible to lay down any rules that will
not be liable, as circumftances may vary,
to miflead the inexperienced in the art of
piping, much muft depend on the dif-
cernment and prudence of the cultivator;
there is no great danger to be appre-
hended from taking off the glaifes for
a few minutes, or half an hour, when
it is cloudy, and the air rather warm
and moift ; but if no opportunities of this
kind occur in due time, it fhould be
done early in the morning : and rather
than to omit doing it entirely, it will be
better to take the glaffes off, if it is only

for

i88 CARNATIONS.

for five minutes, turning them upfide
down on the path, in order to air them,
and replacing them again over the plants ;
even this will be of great fervice, though
not equal to a more effeftual airing at
favourable times, which, indeed, becomes
more frequently neceflary in proportion
to the length of time the pipings have
been upon the bed : but when once they
begin to ftrike fibre, they will foon fpindle
up and become extremely weak, if not
carefully attended to, agreeable to the
following direftions, viz, when their fibres
are formed, which the additional verdure
and growth of the plants will demonftrate,
the glaffes (hould be placed over them
very lightly, in order that more air may
be admitted ; and when they become
tolerably well rooted, the glafles being
no longer neceflary, fhould be entirely
taken away : but it feldom happens that

all

CARNATIONS. 189

all the plants, under the fame glsii^s,
ftrike root together ; fome are generally
a few days or a week forwarder than the
reft, as will be apparent by their fuperior
growth and verdure : fuch ought to be
carefully taken up and planted in fmall
pots, for winter prefervation, or they
may be planted round the hdes of large
Carnation pots, filled with the following
comport, where they will foon make rapid
progrefs ; the remaining plants which are
not fufficiently rooted for removal, muft
be continued under the glafTes, as before
direfted, till they become fo.

Small Auricula pots are well adapted
for the reception and prefervation of Car-
nation layers and pipings, during autumn
and winter : the addition of a little more
loam and coarfe fand to the compoft,
is recommended for thofe feaions.

Each

190 CARNATIONS.

Each pot fhould contain at lead three
or four plants, and be placed under an
arch of hoops, where they can be covered
with mats, in cafe of exceflive rains, till
the feverity of the weather renders it
neceflary to remove them into their win-
ter repofitory, which is 10 be conflrufted
in the fame manner, and have the fame
afpeft as that dcfcribed for Auriculas.

When the layers are properly rooted,
which will be the cafe with moft forts
in about three weeks or a month after
laying, provided due care be taken to
keep them regularly moift, and to (hade
them from the heat of the meridian fun :
they are then to be cut off from the old
plant, with about half an inch of the
flalk, which connefts them to it, and
be immediately planted in the manner
before defcribed.

Carnations

CARNATIONS. 191

Carnations are to be treated during
winter much like Auriculas ; with refpeft
to the weather, they are feldom injured
by a moderate dry froft, though it is
fafer to defend them from too much of
it : but it is very neceflary to caution
againft covering them up clofe when
the plants are wet, as they are, in that
ftate, very liable to contraft a deflru6live
mildew, if they have not the benefit of a
free circulation of air ; this mildew makes
its firft appearance in purple fpots on the
foliage, which can only be cured or pre-
vented from fp reading amongfl; the adja-
cent plants, by cutting out the infe^led
part, or removing the pot, as foon as dif-
covered, it being not improbable but that
the diftemper is, in great meafure, owing
to a very minute infeft, brought into
exiftence by the fermentive warmth gene-
rated at fuch times. Plants thus infeded

have

192 CARNATIONS.

have been frequently known to commu-
nicate the contagion to others which fland
near them, therefore no time fhould be
loft in cutting off the fpotted leaves, or
removing the plants to a diftant part of
the garden.

A repolitory, confl;ru6led in the man-
ner already defcribed, is lefs liable to the
above effefts than any clofe frame or
fituation can poflibly be, becaufe it has
the advantage of a free circulation of
air at all times, even when fliut up, unlefs
indeed when clofely covered up with
mats, &c. as in cafes of fevere froft ;
but at fuch times no fuch confequences
are to be dreaded.

The rains of autumn and winter are
generally more than fufhcient for Carna-
tions, as well as for Auriculas, from an
excefs of which it is proper to defend
them : of the two extremes, it is fafer
3 to

CARNATIONS. 193

to keep them rather too dry than too
wet, at thefe feafons, efpecially during
winter; but a moderate degree of moifture
is always to be preferred, except when the
weather is feverely frofty. As too long a
deprivation of light is at all times preju-
dicial to plants, therefore, whenever the
winter repofitory is required to be clofely
covered up with mats, for feveral days and
nights, with little intermiflion, no oppor-
tunity fhould be lofl during the middle of
the day, if the fun fliines, to take off
the mats in front of the glafles, in order
to admit its light and warmth.

Whenever the furface of the earth in
the pots becomes green with mofs, or
too compaft and adhefive, it will be
proper to llir it up carefully, about half
an inch deep, and to fprinkle a little
coarfe dry fand regularly upon it : this
will prevent any great degree of tenacity
C c in

194 CARNATIONS.

in future, and be of great fervice ; it may
be repeated as often as required.

In fpring, the pots will probably re-
quire to be frequently watered, and by
the middle of March the operation of
potting is to commence, as already de-
fcribed. The blolToms of Carnations, par-
ticularly the high coloured forts, are very
apt to run from their ftriped or variegated
colours to a plain one ; they are then
elleemed of little or no value : but when
they are only partially run, they may
fometimes be recovered to their former
ftate, by being planted in a poor, dry
foil, that will but juft afford fufficient
nouriihment for their exiftence.

It is necelfary to be very careful to
mark fuch pipings as are taken off
before it can be afcertained whether the
original plant is in true colours, or run,
becaufe it very feldom happens that the

pipings.

CARNATIONS. 195

pipings, or layers, taken from a run
flower, produce any other than run
or plain-coloured blofToms ; in confe-
quence of which they are not worth
the trouble of propagation : the pipings
ought therefore to be fo marked as that
it may be accurately known from what
plant or plants they were taken, in order
that if any of the originals (hould prove
foul in colour, or run, the increafe of
fuch may be diftinguifhed from the reft,
and deftroyed. The layers and pipings
of the moft beautifully variegated flowers
will frequently produce run bloflbms ; but
it is impoflible to prevent it, efpecially
amongft the rich high coloured forts,
when they grow in a rich compoft.

Some people pipe their Carnations at
the third joint, but it is better to do it at
the fecond; becaufe, in the firft inftance,
the third joint being more hard and

woody.

196 CARNATIONS.

woody, the pipings do not ftrike root fo
foon, or form afterwards, fuch hand-
fome plants as when they are piped at
the fecond joint from the extremity of
the fhoot.

New forts of Carnations are obtained
from feed, which fhould be procured and
raifed in the following manner.

Thofe flowers which have but few petals,
or, as it is more commonly exprefTed,
are thin of leaf, generally produce moft
feed, and therefore are moft to be de-
pended on for a fupply ; but they fhould
be poflefled of the beft properties in
other refpe6ts, viz, their petals fhould
be large, broad, fubftantial, and perfeftly
entire at the edge, and their colours
rich, and regularly diftributed, and in
due proportion, throughout the whole
bloflbm.

Th(

CARNATIONS. 197

The plants intended for feed fhould
be felefted from the reft, and their pots
ftiould ftand upon a ftage, defended
againft earwigs, in an open part of the
garden, in which fituation they fhould re-
main during bloom, and until the feed is
perfeftly matured: their bloflbms fhould
be defended from rain, by having glafs,
paper, or tin covers fufpended over them,
in fuch manner as to admit a free circu-
lation of air ; the pots fhould neither be
kept very wet or very dry, nor will it
be proper to cut and mutilate the plants,
either for their layers or pipings, till
the feed becomes ripe, becaufe it would
certainly weaken them, and confequently
injure, if not deftroy, their feed.

When the bloom is over, and the
petals become withered and dry, they
fhould be carefully drawn out of the
pod or calyx, being apt to retain a

degree

198 CARNATIONS.

degree of moiflure at their bafe, endan-
gering a mouldinefs, and decay in that
part, which will deflroy the feed.

There is another mode of treatment
adopted fuccefsfully in ripening the
feed, which is, when the bloom is over,
and the petals begin to decay, they are
to be extra6led as above, taking par-
ticular care to leave the two ftyles, which
appear like horns proceeding from the
fummit of the germen, or future peri-
carpium; the calyx is then to be (hort-
ened to about one half of its original
length, and an aperture made on one fide
of the remainder, down to the bafe of
the pericarpium, fo that no water can
poflibly lodge there ; but in doing this,
great care is neceflary not to wound or
injure the pericarpium, or feed veflel
itfelf, becaufe it might prove deftru6live
to the feed.

After

CARNATIONS. 199

After the above is performed, the
covers may remain, or be taken away
at pleafure ; but in the latter cafe it is
advifable to loofen the upper part of
the ftems from the flicks, that the open
end of the calyx may incline a little
downwards, the more elfeftually to pre-
ferve it in a dry ftate : the ftems fhould
not be fuffered to hang fo loofe as to be
in danger of breaking off with every
puff of wind.

It is rather difficult to obtain any
confiderable quantity of fine Carnation
feed, from a moderate colleftion of
plants : which thofe who make the at-
tempt will often find to be the cafe.

The feed ripens from the end of
Auguft to the beginning of Oftober :
the pericarpium becomes brown, dry,
and hard, and the feed, when ripe, is
of a black, or very dark brown colour;
3 thofe

200 CARNATIONS.

thofe who are not fufficiently attentive
to the ripening of their feed, are apt to
gather it too foon, before it is perfe6lly
matured, in confequence of which, the
greateft part proves fmall, pale coloured,
and unproductive.

Thofe plants which have ftood three or
four weeks upon the ftage, under the
cloth covering, whilft in bloom, feldom
produce any feed at all, or but very
little : neither do fuch as are entirely
expofed to the weather; becaufe in this
cafe the rains and night dews that occa-
lionally happen, keep the bafes of the
petals, furrounding the pericarpium, con-
tinually moift ; the confequences of which
are a mouldinefs and decay.

The feed, when gathered, fhould re-
main in the pericarpium, in a dry room,
till the beginning or middle of May;
it is then to be fown in pots, filled with

the

CARNATIONS. 201

'ml'ii ■■mil ■ I

the compoft, and have a little fine mould
fifted upon it, barely fufficient to cover
the feed : at this feafon of the year,
artificial heat is not required, the pots
ftiould therefore be placed in an airy
part of the garden, be fhaded from the
heat of the fun, and kept moderately
moift, but never very wet. As foon as the
young plants appear with fix leaves, and
become about three inches high, they
fhould be planted out on a bed of good
rich garden mould, at about ten or twelve
inches afunder, and be defended from
excefs of rain, and fevere frofts, by mats
on hoops, placed over the bed in the
ufual manner : they will in general blow
the following fummer.

Some perfons have advanced an opi-
nion, that the feed of tun plants produces
as great a proportion of variegated flow*
ers as any other ; but the validity of this
D d aflertion

202 CARNATIONS.

affertion has not yet been fufficiently
demonftrated by experiment.

A Defcription of the Properties of a fine
Variegated, Double Carnation.

THE flem fhould beftrong, tall, and
flraight ; not lefs than thirty, or more
than forty-five inches high ; the foot-
(lalks, fupporting the flowers, fliould be
ftrong, elaftic, and of a proportionate
length.

The flower, or corolla, fliould be at
leafl: three inches in diameter, confifting
of a great number of large well-formed
petals ; but neither fo many as to give it
too full and crowded an appearance, nor
fo few as to make it appear too thia
and empty.

The petals fliould be long, broad, and
fubftantial, particularly thofe of the lower

a ^^^

CARNATIONS. 203

or outer circle, commonly called the guard
leaves ; thefe fhould rife perpendicularly,
about half an inch above the calyx, and
then turn off gracefully, in a horizontal
dire6lion, fupporting the interior petals,
and altogether forming a convex, and
nearly hemifpherical corolla.

The interior petals fhould rather de-
creafe in fize, as they approach the
centre of the flower, which fhould be
well filled with them.

The petals fhould be regularly dif-
pofed alike on every lide, imbricating
each other in fuch a manner as that both
their refpe6live and united beauties may
captivate the eye at the fame inflant:
they fhould be nearly flat, however, a
fmall degree of concavity, or inflexion,
at the lamina, or broad end, is allowable ;
but their edges fhould be perfe6lly entire,

that

204 CARNATIONS.

that is to fay, free from notch, fringe, or
indenture.

The calyx fliould be at leaft one inch
in length, terminating with broad points,
fufficiently ftrong to hold the narrow
bafes of the petals, in a clofe and circu-
lar body.

Whatever colours the flower may be
pofTefled of, they fhould be perfeftly
diftinft, and difpofed in long regular
flripes, broadeft at the edge of the
lamina, and gradually becoming nar-
rower as they approach the unguis, or
bafe of the petal, there terminating in a
fine point. Each petal fhould have a
due proportion of white, i. e, one half,
or nearly fo, which fhould be perfeftly
clear, and free from fpots.

Bizards, or fuch as contain two colours
upon a white ground, are efleemed rather
preferable to flakes, which have but one,

efpecially

CARNATIONS. 205

efpecially when their colours are remark-
ably rich, and very regularly diftributed.

Scarlet, purple, and pink, are the
three colours moll predominant in the
Carnation ; the two firft are feldom to be
met with in the fame flower, but the two
laft are very frequently.

When the fcarlet predominates, and is
united with a paler colour, or, as it fome-
times happens, with a very deep purple
upon a white ground, it conftitutes a
fcarlet bizard, of which there are many
fhades and varieties, fome richer, and
others paler in their colours, as is the
cafe with all the refl:.

Pink Bizards, are fo called when the
pink abounds. Purple Bizards, when the
purple abounds. CrimXon Bizards, con-
fift of a deep purple and rich pink.

When the pink flake is very h.gh in
colour, it is diftinguiflied by the appella-
tion

2o6 CARNATIONS.

tion of rofe flake ; but fome there are fo
nearly in the medium betwixt a pink and
fcarlet, that it can fcarcely be defined to
which clafs they belong.

On

On pinks.

•^ I ^ H E culture of the Pinks is much
lefs difficult than that of Carna-
tions : they are hardier, more eafily
propagated, increafe more abundantly,
and are lefs liable to the cafualties inci-
dent to the latter.

A good frefti loamy foil, dug and
comminuted about two feet deep, and
manured with a flratum of cow-dung,
two years old, mixed with an equal
proportion of earth : this ftratum to be
about fix inches thick, and placed five or
fix inches below the furface, is all the
preparation or compoft that appears
neceflary for this flower.

The

2o8 PINKS.

The bed fhould be raifed three or four
inches above the furrounding paths, and
its fides may be fupported with an edging
of boards, to come up even with, or
one inch higher than its furface ; this
laft more for the fake of neatnefs than
any particular utility it will be of to
the plants.

The plants intended for the principal
bed for bloom, (hould be placed upon
it in Auguft, or early in September, as
they do not blow quite fo well if removed
later in the feafon ; they (hould be plant-
ed at about the diftance of nine inches
from each other, and the bed (hould be
laid rather convex, or rounding, to throw
off excefs of rain ; but will require no
other covering than a very flight one in
cafe of fevere froft.

The bed fhould be kept free from
weeds, and its furface (lined up a little

if

PINKS. 209

if it inclines to bind, or, in other words,
whenever it becomes too firm and ad-
hefive.

Large ftrong plants will put up nume-
rous flower ftems, but it is proper to thin
them out, a month or fix weeks before
bloom ; in doing which, the largefl: and
flrongefl;fhould be left, efpecially the prin-
cipal leading ftem, which proceeds from
the heart or centre of the plant, together
with all its befl pods : but no plant,
however flrong, fliould be permitted to
bloom more than ten or twelve bloflbms,
nor weakly plants more than four or
five. In order to obtain them large and
well coloured, all the fmall lateral pods
fhould be cut or pulled off, as they never
produce any other than diminutive flow-
ers, and at the fame time rob the others
of a certain part of their nourifliment»
which, ofcourfe, prevents their attaining

E e the

210 PINKS.

the fize and beauty they would otherwife
arrive at.

The largeft and mofl bufhy plants do
not produce the fineft flowers ; they natu-
rally put forth numerous fmall ftems,
which their roots are not able to fupport
fufficiently to produce large bloflbms.
Strong healthy plants, not too large,
and confiding of a capital leading
flem in the centre, with but little fur-
rounding increafe, are moft proper to
feleft for the befl bed : thefe will feldom
put up more than one or two flems,
which will, however, be very ftrong,
grow tall, and produce three or four
bloffoms, as large and fine as the fort
is capable of.

Thofe pods that nearly at the time of
blowing become much fwelled, and appear
in danger of burfling, fhould be tied in
in the fame manner as dire6led for Carna-
tions,

PINKS. 211

tions, under fimilar circumflances. Such
forts of Pinks as are mod inclined to
burfl; their pods, oftentimes produce
larger and finer flowers than others
which have fmaller pods, becaufe the
latter generally confift: of too few petals :
it is, however, more defirable to have
their pods large and long, than too fliort
and round, as it is hardly poflible to
preferve the latter from burfl;ing, whereby
the beautiful circular form which the
flower ought to poflefs is loft. When
the calyx is fo extremely fliort that it
muft inevitably burft, it is better to aflift
nature by what is called letting down the
pod, that is, with a pen-knife to nick it
down at the bottom of each of its inden-
tures, as low as may be deemed neceflary,
in order to let out the petals regularly
on every fide, and preferve the circular
form of the bloflbm : for if it is left to

nature.

212 PINKS.

nature, the calyx will burft only on one
fide, and its petals will confequently
force their way through that aperture,
and produce a loofe deformed flower ;
fome kinds are pofTeffed of fuch weak and
fhort pods that the calyx will entirely
burft from top to bottom on one fide,
and open fo very wide as to fuffer almoft
all the petals to fall out, and hang down
when they have been in bloom but a
fhort time ; fuch indeed hardly deferve
to be claffed amongfl the beft forts, let
their properties in other refpe61s be ever
fo defirable. When the flower ftems are
grown fufficiently long, they fliould be
fupported with fmall fl;icks, or wires, as
the fancy of the cultivator may direft ;
but thefe ought to be difpofed of in fuch
a manner as to allow the bloffoms to
expand and blow perfedly diftind from
3 each

PINKS. 213

each other, that the whole may have an
eafy graceful appearance.

Thofe who can beftow fufficient time
and attention to their bloom of Pinks,
may contribute greatly to the efFeQ, by
placing upon the calyx thin pieces of
card,^ or fliff paper, cut circular, and of a
proper fize to fuit the bloflbm, with a hole
in the centre, adapted to the fize of the
pod, and cut quite through from thence
to the periphery, in order to admit
the ftem : thefe are to be placed clofe
underneath the guard leaves, fo as to
fupport them horizontally, and will,
when they extend juft as far as the
extreme points of the petals, gi\e the
bloflbm a very circular and pleafmg
appearance ; but they are apt to warp
when long expofed to the weather, efpe-
cially after being w^et, and muft either be

• See Plate 6. Fig. ii.

taken

214 PINKS.

taken off entirely, or exchanged for new
ones, as they will no longer anfwer the
intended purpofe. Some kinds do not
require any afliftance of this fort, but
the greater part not having their guard
leaves fufficiently ftrong at the bafe to fup-
port themfelves in a horizontal pofition,
are confiderably improved by this little
contrivance, which, perhaps, by the fore-
going defcription, will not be difficult to
comprehend.

At the time of bloom, which is towards
the end of June, it is proper to defend
the bed by a covering, or awning, fome-
what limilar to that ufed for the bloom of
Tulips and Carnations : they fiiould, in
like manner, enjoy the advantage of
light and air, and the foil fliould be kept
regularly moift by foft water, adminiftered
between the plants, carefully avoiding
to wet the bloffoms.

The

PINKS. 215

The eafiefl: and mofl approved method
of propagating Pinks is by piping them
exaftly in the fame manner as defcribed
for Carnations ; they feldom fail to ftrike
fufficient root in the coiirfe of a fortnight
or three weeks to enable them to bear
removal with fafety : they may then be
tranfplanted into an open part of the
garden, on a bed of the common garden
mould, frefli dug up, where it will, in a
few weeks, be eafily difcernible which
are the mofl proper to place on the befh
bed for bloom. The time to pipe Pinks
is immediately previous to, or during the
bloom, or, indeed, as foon as ever the
new flioots are grown of a fufficient
length for that purpofe.

New forts of Pinks are procured from
feed, and thofe plants produce moft feed
which have been expofed to the weather,
except in cafe of very heavy rains, from

which

2i6 PINKS.

which it will be proper to fiielter them,
both before and after bloom. Such forts
produce the greateft quantity of feed as
have long narow pods, the bloffoms of
which confifl of but few petals ; but the
feed of fuch will not be likely to produce
fuch large and double flowers as that
which is faved from forts poflefling
fuperior properties : it is to be gathered,
preferved, fown, and treated in all re-
fpe6ls like that of Carnations.

A Dcfcription of the Properties of a fine
Double .Pink.

THE flem (hould be flrong, elaftic,
and erecl, and not lefs than twelve
inches high.

The calyx rather fmaller and fliorter,
but nearly fimilar in form and proportion
to that of a Carnation, as well as the

formation

PINKS.

217

formation of the flower, which fhould
not be lefs than two inches and a half
in diameter.

The petals fhould be large, broad, and
fubftantial, and have very fine fringed
or ferrated edges, free from large coarfe
deep notches or indentures ; in fliort, they
approach neareft to perfeftion when the
fringe on the edge is fo fine as fcarcely
to be difcernible : but it would be con-
fidered a very defirable objeft to obtain
them perfedly rofe-leaved, i. e. without
any fringe at all.

The broadeft part of the lamina, or
broad end of the petals, fhould be per-
fe£lly white and diftinft from the eye,
unlefs it be ornamented by a continuation
of the colour of the eye round it," bold,
clean, and diftinft, leaving a confiderable

^ When the corolla confifts of petals of this defcription,
it is denominated a Laced Pink.

F f proportion

2l8

PINKS.

proportion of white in the centre, per-
feftly free from any tinge or fpot.

The eye (hould confift of a bright or
dark rich crimfon, or purple, refembling
velvet : but the nearer it approaches to
black, the more it is efleemed ; its pro-
portion fhould be about equal to that of
the white, that it may neither appear too
large nor too fmalL

On

On polyanthuses.

— — «w«^3gCSaCfG«:-«

TJOLYANTHUSES blow at the fame
time, and require nearly the fame
treatment as Auriculas, both with refpeft
to foil and fituation ; they are, however,
more impatient of heat and drought, and
partial to the reverfe, viz. fhade and
moiflure : they may be grown in the fame
fized pots, and in the fame compoft as
the latter, with the addition of more
loam ; or they may, with equal pro-
priety, be planted on cool and fliady
beds or borders, being very hardy, and
feldom perifh in the coldefl and wetteR
feafons : but during the heats of fummer
they are frequently deflroyed, unlefs the
neceffary precautions be taken.

Polyanthufes

220 POLYANTHUSES.

Polyanthufes are very liable to the
depredations of fnails and.flugs, which
infeft their leaves and bloflbms in the
fpring of the year ; in order to extirpate
thefe vermin, it is neceflary to examine
the plants and pots on all fides, as early
in the morning as poflTible, otherwife the
opportunity might be loft, becaufe they
go in queft of food at night, and conceal
themfelves as the day advances, and as
the light becomes difagreeable to them,
in fuch a manner as not to be difcovered
without difiBculty. But the worft enemy
to the Polyanthus is a fmall red or fcarlet
fpider, which in fummer forms its web
on the under fide of the leaves : it is
fcarcely difcernible to the naked eye, but
may eafily be perceived, if it exifts, by
means of a lens, or magnifying glafs.

Thefe fpiders probably fubfift on the
juices of the plant ; it is, however, evi-
dent

POLYANTHUSES. 221

dent that they caufe its leaves to become
yellow and fpotted, and eventually de-
ftroy it ; they multiply with fuch aflonifh-
ing rapidity as to take pofleflion of a
whole colle6lion, in a very fhort fpace
of time, if the neceflary precautions be
not taken as foon as any plant puts on
the appearance of infeftion.

This infeft feldom attacks fuch plants
as are in a ftate of vigour, or when the
weather is cold and wet ; it generally
commences its depredations in the early
part of furamer, and continues them as
long as the heat and drynefs of the
weather favour its exiftence : the juices
alfo of the plants being then more vifcous
and faccharine, afford it more fuitable
nourifhment than at any other feafon.

Such plants as appear infe6led fhould
be immediately fele6ted from the reft,
taken out of the earth, and foaked for

two

222 POLYANTHUSES.

two or three hours in a ftrong infufion of
tobacco water, and be replanted in a frefh
foil OT compofl, and removed to another
fituation remote from the former.

If the whole bed or border of Polyan-
thufes is overrun with this infeft, it is
bed to take up all the plants, ferve them
in the fame manner, and plant them
elfewhere.

The bed, or border, from whence the
plants have been taken, fhould be imme-
diately dug up, or trenched, and fuffered
to remain fallow till the following feafon,
or be occupied with fome different crop,
not liable to the fame calamity.

Polyanthufes are propagated by fepa-
rating their flips or offsets ; this may be
performed when the plants are frefii
potted, at the fame time and much in
a fimilar manner as defcribed for Auri-
culas, or it may be done early in the

fpring ;

POLYANTHUSES. 223

fpring ; but in this laft cafe the fucceeding
bloom will be in fome degree injured.

The pots, when the flowers are in
bloom, may (land in front of the Hya-
cinth bed, or at one end or in front of
the Auricula flage, as fancy may di61ate ;
but when feed is the objeft, the plants
fhould be expofed to the weather, in a
cool and (hady fituation, and be carefully
watered as often as required, in the fame
manner as dire6led for Auriculas. The
plants are materially injured and weak-
ened by being permitted to bear feed, and
frequently perifh in confequence of it.

The pericarpium, or feed-veffel, wil
begin to open when the feed becomes
mature, and fit to gather ; and unlefs it
is particularly attended to at this time,
it will be in danger of falling out, efpe-
cially if it happens to be windy weather.

The

224 POLYANTHUSES.

The feed when ripe will appear of a
very dark brown colour : it (hould be cut
off, with part of the ftem, and may after-
wards be preferved, fown, and treated
in every refped like that of Auriculas.

A Defcription of the Properties of a fine
Polyanthus.

ITS properties are in moft refpefts
fimilar to thofe of a fine Auricula, viz,
the ftem, peduncles, or foot-ftalks, and
formation of the bunch or trufs; there-
fore a definition of its pips, or petals,
only remain neceffary to be confidered
in this place.

The tube of the corolla above the
calyx, ftiould be fhort, well filled with
the anthers or fummits of the ftamins, and
terminate fluted, rather above the eye.

'q The

POLYANTHUSES. 225

rr II—.

The eye fliould be round, of a bright
clear yellow, and difl;in6l from the ground
colour; the proportion as in the Auri-
cula, throughout the flower.

The ground colour is moft admired
when fhaded with a light and dark rich
crimfon, refembling velvet, with one mark
or ftripe in the centre of each divifion
of the limb, bold and diflinft from the
edging down to the eye, where it fliould
terminate in a fine point.

The pips fliould be large, quite flat,
and as round as may be, confiftent with
their peculiar beautiful figure, which is
circular, excepting thofe fmall inden-
tures between each divifion of the limb,
which divide it into five or fix heart-like
fegments.

The edging fliould refemble a bright

gold lace, bold, clear, and diUinft, and

fo nearly of the fame colour as the eye

G g and

226 POLYANTHUSES.

and ftripes as fcarcely to be diflinguifhed :
in fhort, the Polyanthus fhould poflefs a
graceful elegance of form, a richnefs of
colouring, and fymmetry of parts, not to
be found united in any other flower.

A SUP-

A

SUPPLEMENTARY DISSERTATION

O N

SOILS, MANURES, &c.

Q OILS, in general, are found to con-
^ fift of the following fubftances, viz.

Clay,

Sand,

Gravel or ftones,

Calcareous and abforbent earths.

Vegetable fubftances, containing oil,

Metallic fubftances, and

Salts.

Clay is a foft fine powder, on the ap-
plication of water it becomes tenacious,

and

228 SOILS, MANURES, Sec.

and hardens, as it dries, into a compaft
folid mafs ; if the foil abounds with clay,
it will retain water in too great a degree,
which will rot the fibres of plants ; it will
be too adhefive to permit their fibres to pafs
freely into it, and will be difficult to fepa-
rate or work ; the addition of fand, dung,
or good marie, will obviate thefe effe6ls,
and render it of a proper confiftence.

Sand confifts of fmall cryfialline par-
ticles, and has a contrary effe6l to clay
in any foil where it abounds, permit-
ting water to pafs too freely through
it ; the addition of clay, neat's-dung, or
woollen rags, will give it adhefivenefs and
tenacity, and render it more fertile.

Sea, or river, fand, is to be preferred
to that found in flrata, or beds, in the
earth, being more free from mineral or
metallic fubftances, which are pernicious
to vegetation.

Gravel,

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 229

Gravel, or ftones, are larger maffes of
cryftalline fubftances ; they give the foil
an open texture, and encourage the pro-
grefs of the fibres of plants, when in
due proportion, and not too large ; they
are particularly beneficial to a heavy
moid foil, permitting the water to pafs
away more freely : on the furface of
a light dry foil they tend to prevent too
copious an exhalation, and thereby ren-
der it more fertile.

Calcareous and abforbent earths are,
quick lime, limeftone, chalk, fhells,
marie, &c.

Quick lime, or cauftic calcareous
earth, refills putrefadion, it attrafts acids
and oils, and deflroys both animal and
vegetable fubftances, particularly the
former : it is produced by burning lime-
ftone, chalk, fliells, &c, with a red heat,
till the aerial acid be difcharged; it then

becomes

230 SOILS, MANURES, Sec.

becomes cauflic : when perfe6lly burned,
it dififolves in water, in the proportion of
five grains to a pint, and on being
expofed a fufficient time to the air, it
recovers its acid, and reverts to the ftate
it was in before burning, i. e. it becomes
mild or effete : in this flate it lias the
property of promoting putrefa6lion, and
is infoluble in water, as are the other mild
calcareous earths ; but like them it effer-
vefces and combines with acids, thereby
forming a neutral fait ; and this fait, when
united with oily fubftances, conflitutes a
kind of faponaceous mucilage, which,
in a perfed ftate, is the proper nutriment
of plants. Calcareous earths, when re-
duced to a powder, and laid on the
furface of the foil, are foon wafhed down
by rains, and their effeds loft.

Marie, of all forts, is compofed of

calcareous earth mixed with clay : it is

2 friable

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 231

friable in water, and efFervefces with
acids, which diftinguiihes it from fimple
clay.

Vegetable fubftances are found on and
near the furface of moft foils ; they confift
of the roots and fibres of plants, and of
plants that have grown, fallen, and de-
cayed there ; they contain only particles,
which give the foil a black or dark
coloured appearance, and greatly enrich
it, unlefs the plants happened to be of
the acetofe, aftringent, and antiputre-
fcent kind.

Vegetable fubftances pafs through the
faccharine, vinous, and acetous fermenta-
tions, before putrefa6lion is completed,
and their conftituent parts feparated.

Metallic, or mineral fubftances, are
frequently found in foils united with an
acid ; they are extremely pernicious and
poifonous to plants, and, where they

abound

232 SOILS, MANURES, See.

abound in any great degree, render the
foil barren and unproduftive.

Salts are generally allowed to be the
grand fertilizers of earth ; therefore the
foil is denominated rich, where they are
of a proper quality and abound, and
poor when they are abfent.

There are two families, or genera, of
falts, the one alkaline, and the other
acid, each of which are divided into
their refpeftive fpecies, according to their
fubordinate powers.

The flrongefl acid falts are,

ift. Vitriolic acid.
2d. Nitrous acid.
3d. Muriatic acid.

The flrongefl: alkaline falts are,

ifl. Fixed vegetable alkali.
2d. Cauftic calcareous earth.
3d. Caufiic volatile alkali.

In

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 233

In the above arrangement, the mod
powerful attra61ors are placed firft, and
the reft in their proper order : if any of
the acids be mixed in due proportion
with any of the alkali's, and diflblved in
water, they will combine and reciprocally
naturalize each other ; again, if cauftiq
volatile alkali be united with any acid,
fixed vegetable alkali, on being added to
the folution, will take pofTeflion of the
acid, and drive off the volatile alkali ;
or if calcareous earth be united with an
acid, on the application of fixed vegeta-»
ble alkali to the folution, the acid and
alkali will unite, and the earth will be
feparated, and precipitate or fall to the
bottom.

Alkaline falts appear to contain the

bafis, or matrix, of the nutritive matter

proper for plants ; they attraQ the nitrous

acid of the air, which is fuppofed to be

Hh the

234 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

the only fpecies of arid that can anfwer
the grand purpofes of vegetation ; they
become reciprocally neutralized with it,
but are flill capable of uniting and incor-
porating with the oleaginous particles of
the earth, and by the addition of air and
water, become attenuated, conco61ed, and
matured, forming altogether the fapo-
naceous mucilage, which is allowed to
be the effential pabulum, or nutriment
of plants.

From thefe fa6ls, it may be eafily
deduced, that no fubftance ought to be
efleemed eligible as a manure, which
does not contain fome proportion of
alkaline falts.

All animal, and fome vegetable fub-
ftances, afford volatile alkaline falts and
oil, in a greater or fmaller degree ; and
as dung, which is eafy to procure, par-
takes of all thefe qualities, fo is it princi-
pally

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 235

pally recommended to the cultivator of
tender plants, as preferable to any other
kind of manure for general ufe : it never-
thelefs requires proper management to
bring it into a fit ftate for application,
and mufl not be made ufe of before it
has had fufficient time to pafs, in fome
degree, through its various ftages of pu-
trefa6lion, and till it has reaped the
advantages arifing from a due expofure
to the atmofphere.

Neats-dung^ is efteemed the beft ma-
nure for hot, dry foils ; it retains moifture
longer, and in greater quantity, than
other dungs, ferments and putrifies more
flowly, and is bell adapted to the nature
of all fuch plants as are natives of a
cold climate. The dung of hogs has
nearly the fame properties.

* Dung of cows, oxen, &c.

The

235 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

The dung of pigeons and other fowls,
as alfo that of horfes, fheep, and deer,
Sec. is moft eligible for cold wet foils,
and for the culture of fuch plants as are
natives of a warm climate ; thefe go
through the different ftages of putrefac-
tion much fooner than the former, and
neither retain moifture fo long, or in fo
great degree as the firft-mentioned.

In order to reduce frefh cow-dung to a
proper confiftence for the cultivation of
delicate plants, it fhould be laid in a
heap, not more than fifteen inches thick,
in a fituation neither low nor elevated,
^nd be entirely expofed to the influence
of the atmofphere : it fhould be turned
over and well worked, once in two months,
that it may derive every poffible benefit
from the a6lion of the fun and air.

To prevent the lofs of any part of its
enriching qualities, it is advifable to place

it

SOILS, MANURES, Sec, 237

it upon a flratum of good mould, five or
fix inches thick ; this will anfwer two
good purpofes : in the firft place, the foil
will receive the ftrongly impregnated
moiflure that naturally drains from the
dung after rains, and which would, unlefs
fo preferved, foak into the ground below,
and be in great meafure loft ; and fecond-
ly, if at each time of turning the dung,
during fummer, a little of this ftraturai
be pared off, and laid upon the furface
of the mafs, it will forward its putrefac-
tion, and prevent its falts from volati-
lizing in fo copious a degree as if its
furface was expofed to the heat of the
fun without fuch a guard.

When it has been thus treated for
twelve or fourteen months, it will become
fufficiently reduced to pafs through a
coarfe fl^reen, or fieve ; this will be
more eafily performed during a feries

of

238 SOILS, MANURES, &e.

of dry weather, becaufe its parts will
feparate and pafs through it with lefs
labour than when it is in a wet flate ;
after this lafl: operation, it will make
rapid progrefs towards a (late of matu-
rity, and at the end of two years it may
be ventured on as a fafe and eligible
manure for every purpofe to which cow
or neats dung is applicable.

The cow-dung produced near London
is more crude and grofs than that of the
country, occafioned by the difference of
food on which the animal fubfifts ; it of
courfe requires longer preparation and
expofure to the atmofphere than the
latter, but two years and a half will be
found fufiBcient for it in its grofleft and
mod crude flate.

Horfe-dung fooner becomes fit for ufe
than cow-dung ; it fhould be laid thicker
in the heap, but in other refpe6ls have

the

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 239

the fame treatment as the latter, except
that it will not require more than twelve
or fourteen months to prepare it for
any purpofe.

Manures are valuable in proportion to
the falts and oils they contain, and are
to be applied in quantity according to
their quality.

Hence it arifes that the dung of pigeons
fliould be ufed in fmaller proportion than
that of horfes, becaufe it contains more
volatile falts ; and for the fame reafon,
the afhes of burnt vegetables, containing
a confiderable proportion of fixed alka-
line falts, muft be ufed more fparingly
than pigeons dung, being ftill more pow-
erful : for that which is very beneficial
and highly proper in due proportion, or
moderate quantity, becomes pernicious
and dangerous in excefs ; therefore, all
(Irong manures fhould be made ufe of

wath

240 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

with the utmoft caution, or their efFe£ls
may prove deftru6live.

As dungs are the moft ufeful, fafe, and
eafy to procure, of almoft any kind of
manure, it may not be improper to add
a few remarks refpefting the application
of them, upon which, indeed, in great
meafure, fuccefs uhimately depends, viz»

Dungs (hould never be expofed, during
fummer, too thin on the furface, becaufe
the full a6lion of the fun and air upon
them, in that Hate, would volatilize their
falts and oils, which would exhale and
be loft.

They may lay thinner, and be more
expofed to the atmofphere during winter,
becaufe the air is then more replete with
the nitrous or aerial acid, which the falts
of the dung attraft in greater quantity by
fuch expofure, and are thereby rendered
more nutritive, and fooner fit for ufe.

3 I^"»gs

SOILS, MANURES, Sec. 241

— ^

Dungs muft never be buried too deep
in the earth, beyond the aftion of the
air, becaufe in fuch a fituation they will
ftagnate, corrupt, and become putrid,
and poifonous to plants.

In order to difcover whether a foil
contains any metallic or mineral acid
falts, the following experiment is re-
commended, viz. Take a few pounds
weight of the foil, at about twelve or
fifteen inches below the furface, becaufe
that of the furface ought not to be
confidered a fair fpecimen, being fubje6l
to the influence of the atmofphere, and
wafhing of rains ; put it into an earthen
veffel, and pour as much boiling hot rain,
or diflilled water, upon it, as will com-
pletely cover it ; llir it well together,
that the falts may be perfeftly diflblved,
and let it (land till the earth fubfides ;
filtre off a little of the water, through
I i filtrating

242 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

filtrating paper, into a glafs or earth-
en veflel, and add to it a few drops
of a ftrong folution of fixed vegetable
alkali ; this will immediately combine
with, and neutralize the mineral acid, if
there be any, and the earthy part will
precipitate.

On adding a little of the infufion of
galls to the filtrated liquor, the quality
of the acid may be afcertained ; if it
contains iron, a blackifh recrement will
precipitate, or grey if it contains copper.

Some foils abound with metallic fub-
flances of the ferruginous kind, which
make them appear of a rufty iron colour;
thefe fubftances are frequently found
confolidated with the foil, into large
maffes, very ponderous and adhefive :
earth of this quality is commonly called
Foxbent, or Till ; it is extremely unfa-
vourable to vegetation.

Upon

SOILS. MANURES, &c. 243

Upon calcining one of thefe malTes,
and reducing it to powder, if a magnet
be applied, it will attraft and feparate
numerous particles of iron.

The beft method of converting foils
of the above defcription to a ftate of
fertility is as follows :

Spread a fufficient quantity of quick
lime on the furface ; let it have a con-
fiderable time to operate, and afterwards
frequently turn up the foil and lime
incorporated together, that the air may
pervade it thoroughly ; by this means its
mafTes will be reduced, and their metal-
lic properties deftroyed ; the foil will
finally become produftive.

If neutral falts abound in any foil, to
fo great a degree as to become noxious
to vegetation, it may be known by the
following experiment.

Boil

244 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

Boil the filtrated liquor, before de-
fcribed, till its aqueous parts are nearly
evaporated ; put the remainder into a
glafs or earthen veflel, and let it ftand
to cool ; if any neutral falts are contained
in it, they will (hoot into cryftals.

Such foils will require long expofure
to the atmofphere before they acquire
fertility.

Fixed vegetable alkaline falts, and
calcareous earths, fhould never be placed
at any confiderable depth from the furface
of the foil ; their falts cannot exhale, but
have a continual tendency to fink down-
wards, which inclination being promoted
by rains, the foil would confequently
foon lofe any benefit it might otherwife
derive from them.

Alkaline falts, of all defcriptions, in
folution, change the purplifh blue colour
of the tinfture of violets to a green ;

but

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 245

but all the acid falts change it to a red :
in order to prove it by experiment, take
a narrow flip of white paper, dip it into
the tinfture, and, when dry, apply it to
the folution, it will immediately difcover,
by its appearance, whether an acid or
alkali prevails ; if neither the one nor
the other predominates, the colour of
the ftained paper will undergo no altera-
tion ; therefore, if the folution contains
any falts at all, they are neutrals, z. e.
confiding of equal proportions of alkali's
and acids.

Of neutral falts there are many, but
nitre is, perhaps, the moft perfeft, and
is fuppofed to be th& beft adapted to all
the purpofes of vegetation.

The nitrous acid, according to the
opinion of chymifts, is always produced
by the lad flage of putrefaftion ; the
tobacco plant, however, feems to exhibit

fome

246 SOILS, MANURES, Sec.

fome proof of its more univerfal exiftence,
which having come under the author's
immediate obfervation, he takes the liber-
ty fimply to mention ; at the fame time
moft refpe6lfully fubmitting its confidera-
tion to thofe who may be better quali-
fied to decide upon it. This plant, which
is well known to be highly alkalefcent,
and, for the purity of its falts, preferable
to mod; others, wherever it may have
grown, if it be taken up at a proper
time, while in a ftate of vegetation, and
dried in an open airy fituation, defended
from the heat of the fun and rain, nitrous
particles will be formed, and abound in
the fmall flalks and fibres of the leaves,
before any confiderable putrefaftion can
have taken place, to fuch a degree as even
to deflagrate with explofion when the
parts become heated red hot.

Vitriolic

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 247

Vitriolic acid is found in the earth,
united with various metallic and fulphu-
reous fubflances.

Muriatic acid is found in the earth,
in mineral waters, the fea, &c. it is the
weakefl: of the mineral, but flronger than
any vegetable acid : it is poifonous to
plants, as are all mineral or metallic
fubflances whatfoever.

Sea fait is by fome people ufed as a
manure ; it certainly contains fome foffil
or mineral alkali, but it abounds with
muriatic acid, and therefore cannot, by
any means, be recommended as a fafe
and eligible manure, which the following
experiment will tend in fome meafure to
demonftrate.

A quantity of fea fait, in folution,
was applied to part of a paflure field;
the foil became, in confequence, barren
and unproduQive for more than twenty

years ;

248 SOILS, MANURES, Sec.

years ; it at length recovered its fertility,
but did not afterwards appear to have
derived any advantage from the expe-
riment.

It is true, the marflies, or low grounds
near the fea, and mouths of rivers, which
are periodically inundated by fait water,
afterwards produce herbage luxuriantly ;
but it does not feem neceflary to conclude
from that circumftance, that the foil be-
comes enriched by the fea fait : it may,
indeed, receive confiderable benefit from
the animal and teftaceous fubflances
brought upon it by the water, and left
on its furface when it fubfides ; but from
the foregoing experiment, and the known
properties of fea fait, may it not be
reafonably prefumed, that the fait itfelf
a6ls rather as a prefent poifon, than as a
future promoter of vegetation? The foil,
indeed, evidently requires a confiderable

period

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 249

period of time, proportionate to that in
which it has remained under the fait water,
to recover even the fame degree of fertility
it pofTefTed before the event happened ;
a much longer period than thofe foils
require which have been laid under water
by exceflive rains, or which have been
overflowed by a foft, frefh water river,
rendered ftill richer at times of flood,
by the fine earthy particles, falts, &c.
waflied from the furface of the adjacent
lands, by the rains which have caufed it
to overflow its banks.

Somefoap-makers wafte aflies, contain-
ing a certain quantity of vegetable and
calcareous alkali, were laid in a heap,
on part of a poor field which had never
produced any thing but heath, mofs, and
other afl:ringent and acetous plants ; it
remained there about a year, and its falts
defl;royed every plant near it : it was
K k afterwards

250 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

afterwards removed, but the earth on
which it had been placed produced no
plant for about a year fubfequent to its
removal, after which the foil became
luxuriantly rich : nor were the advan-
tages confined to the narrow limits occu-
pied by the wafte afhes ; for in the courfe
of a few years, all the adjacent parts of
the field became enriched by the extend-
ed influence of the falts ; the foil retained
its fertility for more than thirty years,
which by the end of that period became
amazingly cxtenfive.

The fuperficial earth of this field was
of the peaty or moory kind, of a dark
colour, and about fix inches deep ; un-
derneath was an irony clay, the metallic
acid of which had caufed its poverty :
but that property of the clay was con-
trolled by the alkaline falts of the wafte,
which at the fame time attrafted the

nitrous

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 251

/» ' ' II. ■

nitrous acid of the air, and thereby
rendered the foil fruitful ; the operation
of the falts became fo confiderably exten-
five by the wafliing of rains, and the
attra6lion of the acid in the foil.

Good marie would undoubtedly have
produced confequences nearly fimilar to
the above, but none could be conve-
niently procured ; there can be no doubt
that the foil on the furface contained oily
particles in abundance, but the alkali's
were wanting to form the faponaceous
mucilage.

Fixed vegetable alkali is produced by
incineration, or the burning of vegetables
in the open air, till their acids and oils
be difcharged, or volatilized, and their
afhes become white, or nearly fo. The
falts thus produced are never pure,
but confift of different proportions of
alkali*s and neutrals, according to the

nature

252 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

nature of the plant, and the Hate it is in
when burned.

It is found by experience, that thofe
vegetables which afford plenty of good
falts, if properly burned when in right
feafon, which is when the feed has at-
tained its full fize, but is not perfeQly
ripe, will not yield near the fame quan-
tity, nor of fo good a quality, a few
weeks earlier or later ; there are alfo
other circumftances to be confidered and
attended to, which require clofe obfer-
vation, and confiderable experience to
underftand and account for properly.

Much depends on the foil, air, climate^
and fituation in which the plants have
grown, and the manner of condu6i;ing

the operation.

It has been proved by repeated expe-
riments, that the northern and weftern
coafts of Great-Britain furnifh plants more

flrongly

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 253

ftrongly alkalefcent than the fouthern and
eaftern coafts : this phaenomenon appears
to be an objeft worthy of philofophical
inveftigation.

It is obferved by chymifts, that the
caufticity of falts depends on the ab-
fence of fixed air ; which perhaps might
be more intelligibly denominated the
nitrous or aerial acid, becaufe it is
reafonable to conclude, that the acid
being, when heated, exceedingly more
volatile than the alkali, becomes expelled
and driven off in the procefs of incinera-
tion, and that until the alkali has reco-
vered its acid, it remains in a ftate of
caufticity ; but upon a fufficient expofure
to the atmofphere, it will regain its acid,
and become mild or effete ; therefore it
cannot be doubted that the abfence of the
aerial acid is the fole caufe of caufticityo

The

254 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

The calcareous fait of lime being
added in fuflBcient quantity to a fatu-
rated folution of fixed vegetable alkali,
produces foap ley ; the efFefts of the
lime are, to produce a more perfe£l
degree of caufticity, and a greater incli-
nation to unite with fubftantial oils, with
which the ley intimately combines and
forms altogether a vifcous glutinous fub-
ftance, containing the bafis of the true
mucilage ; therefore ' foap and foap-fuds
certainly poflefs it in as perfe8: a ftate
as it can be prepared or produced by
chymical procefs. But notwithftanding
their excellence as manures, yet they
are by no means proper for immediate
application to delicate plants : it is true
they enrich the foil, but until they have
undergone putrefa6lion, and their falts
have had fufficient time to become neu-
tralized by the acid of the air, they are

abfolute

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 255

abfolute poifons to fuch plants ; hence
the neceflity of expoUng manures and
compofts for a fufficient time, and in a
proper manner, to the atmofphere, that
their crude acrid properties may be dif-
charged, their falts neutralized, and that
they may pafs through their various
flages of putrefa6lion ; in the courfe of
which, and likewife after application,
the nutritive matter they contain fhould
neither be lofl by too copious exhala-
tions, nor fuffered to ftagnate and corrupt
for v/ant of the due a6tion of the air,
agreeable to the foregoing obfervations.

Many vegetable fubftances afford but a
very fmall proportion of fixed alkaline falts
upon incineration ; among which are the
aflringent plants of moraffes, &c. and the
faccharine tribe, of which the potatoe
is a fpecies : their falts are too volatile
to bear the operation of burning without

beinjy

o

256 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

being exhaled and loft ; but if they be
taken in a fucculent ftate, and laid in a
heap, covered with three or four inches
of earth, they will putrify, and what
falts they contain will be preferved to
confiderable advantage as a manure.

Animal fubftances produce volatile al-
kaline falts, and vegetable fubftances
fixed alkaline falts ; but neither fixed
alkaline falts, nor acids, appear to be
conftituent parts of living animals, or if at
all fo, in extremely minute proportion.

The falts of urine appear to be of a
peculiar kind, diftin6l from all others;
they participate, in fome degree, of the
nature both of animal and vegetable
falts; the am.moniacal abound in them in
much the greateft quantity, but they are
found likewife to contain a fpecies of
tartarous fait, oil, and fome fulphur.

Urine

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 257

Urine is found to produce volatile
alkaline fait in greater proportion, and to
contain lefs of earthy matter than any
other animal fubftance.

It is decompofed by putrefaftion, and
fhould never be applied to plants, till its
falts become perfe6lly neutralized by very
long expofure to the atmofphere.

All animal fubftances whatever, are
excellent manures, when properly ap-
plied.

Sulphur canfifts of pure inflammable
matter,'' combined with the vitriolic acid
and earth ; the laft in very fmall propor-
tion : it is poifonous to plants, as are all
waters impregnated with it.

Oils confift principally of inflammable
matter ; they are generally found com-
bined with an acid, earth, and water, the
three laft in very fmall proportion.

' Or phlogjdon,

L 1 Oils

258 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

Oils are of various qualities ; all ani-
mal and vegetable oils are great promoters
of vegetation, they are infoluble in water,
without the mediation of alkaline falts,
and but imperfectly {"o without the fal-
faponarius.

Animal and vegetable fubftances have
a near affinity to each other, as appears
by their reciprocal commutations.

Animals derive their fuftenance from
vegetables, either immediately or ulti-
mately, and when decompofed by putre-
faftion, they become great promoters of
vegetation.

Nightly dews are of the utmoft con-
fequence to vegetation, efpecially in hot
climates, where they are probably the
vehicles which convey the fovereign,
nitrous, or aerial acid, more diret^tly to
plants and to foils, and in greater quan-
tity than they could otherwife polTibly

obtain

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 259

obtain it : in fuch climatf^s the very exifl-
ence of plants, in all probability, depends
on them.

It is difficult to define what are the
component parts of dew, or to inveftigate
its peculiar properties ; there can how-
ever be no doubt, that it is produced
principally by exhalations from the earth,
which when condenfed by the cold air of
the night, become fpecifically heavier
than the atmofphere, and defcend again
to the earth, or upon any objeft they
meet with.

The particles of dew certainly confift
principally of water ; it is, however,
probable that they contain a minute
proportion of volatile alkali, attratling
and uniting with the nitrous acid of the
air, whereby they fooner become cop-
denfed and fpecifically heavier than fuch
exhalations as afcend higher in the

atmofphere,

26o SOILS, MANURES, &c.

atmofphere, and return to the earth in
the form of rain.

Rain and fnow waters are foft, and
contain a fmall proportion of falts and
oil : they putrify fooner than fpring or
hard water, which is probably occafioned
by their containing more oil, and being
free from any mineral or metallic acid.

Hard fpring waters generally contajn
a mineral acid, which is extremely inju-
rious to delicate plants ; it hardens their
fibres, and coagulates their juices in a
great degree, and a6ls as a poifon to fuch.

Some waters are rendered hard by
being impregnated with the nitrous acid :
thefe contain a calcareous earthy bafe,
by which the acid has been attrafted ;
they are thereby rather improved than
injured by their hardnefs : but fuch are
feldom found in any gravelly foil, or in
fuch as abounds with metallic fubflances.

A fuf-

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 261

A fufficient expofure of cold, hard,
fpring water, containing metallic fub-
ftances, to the fun in furnmer, caufes it
to be lefs chilling to the earth, renders
it rather fofter, and lefs. pernicious to
plants : if it be long expofed, fome
of its purefl particles will, of courfe,
exhale ; but at the fame time the mine-
ral acid will alfo gradually fly oif, which
is the principal caufe of its hardnefs ;
the metal will fall to the bottom, being
feparated from its acid, and the water
will confequently become confiderably
improved by fuch expofure.

Snow is an excellent prefervative to
plants againft froft, and, when not too
deep, it admits light and air freely.

Froft is as de[lru61ive to tender plants
as it is beneficial to the foil ; it a61s
principally on their fluids, which dilate
and expand as they congeal, and flioot

like

262 SOILS, MANURES, &c.

like faks, in the form of cryftals ; con-
fequently the parts of the plant replete
with juices, burft on freezing, and^are
deftroyed.

Succulent plants are therefore more
liable to injury from froft, than fuch as
are of a more firm, hard, and woody
texture.

Frofl has a fimilar efFe8: on the aque-
ous particles of the earth : on freezing
it becomes more feparated, and capable
of imbibing more copioufly, the nitrous
acid of the air, which abounds mod in
cold and frofty weather, particularly
when the wind is northerly.

The bed method of preparing foil for
a compoll is as follows, viz.

Take the turf, with its earth and

fibres, about three or four inches thick,

from the furface of a common, or old

pafture field, where the foil is of a good

2 quality,

SOILS, MANURES, Sec, 263

quality, place it fo as to form a wall,
of about four or five feet in height, and
two feet thick, on the top of which lay a
flratum of calcareous earth, mixed with
the alhes of burnt vegetables ; when it
has remained in this ftate two or three
years, it will become in excellent condi-
tion, the falts placed on the fur face will
have defcended into the mafs by rains, and
it will be found at the end of that period
replete with nutritive matter ; the vegeta-
ble fibres. Sec. with which it abounds,
will be reduced into a more proper con-
fiftence than could have taken place under
any different mode of treatment.

It fhould afterwards be paffed through
a coarfe (kreen, or fieve, fix or eight
months before it is wanted for ufe, that
its parts may be more perfe611y incor-
porated : it fhould likev/ife be frequently
turned over, that the a6lion of the air

upon

2^4 SOILS, MANURES, Sec.

■■ ■ - — *

upon it may preferve it perfeftly fweet^
and in good condition, either as an ingre*
dient in a compoft, or for whatever pur-
pofe in vegetation it may be intended.

Numerous are the compound and neu*
tral falts found in various foils ; but they
are all combinations of fome fpecies of
alkali's and acids, or of acids with
earthy and metallic fubftances ; it does
not appear neceffary to diftinguifli them
here particularly by name, or to enter
into a minute detail of their refpe6live
properties, as it is prefumed what has
been already obferved on the fubje6l,
will be fufficient, without attempting
to defcribe all the poflible attraftions,
combinations, and effefts on vegetation,
thofe fubftances are capable of, which
indeed, would amount to little more than
a meer hypothefis, unfounded on a6lual
experiment.

The

SOILS, MANURES, &c. 265

The properties and qualities of differ-
ent fubftances are apparently fo extreme-
ly diflimilar to each other, that it feems
almoft natural to conclude they are ori-
ginally compofed of different kinds of
matter ; but upon a juft and mature
refleftion on the infinite power and
wifdom of the Creator, the idea vanifhes,
and it muft be acknowledged, that one,
pure, uncompounded element, or mate-
rial, may have been abundantly fufficient
in his hand, to produce under different
modifications, all the various phaenomena
of nature.

M m

ng.i..

Jig:2...

:Buhl{/hedaJ the, Act directs by Ja,1 Maddach. Walwortkifjiuu^ Jjpz.

Plate 2

Tuili^hedas th^Act dtrect^ hy Jaf MaJJ^ck. Walworth i:'Jun^ ^-^2-

DESCRIPTION OF the PLATES,

PLATE L

Fig. 1. A Corolla, or bloflbm, of a fine
Xjl double Hyacinth, of the com-
mon fize. Vide page 44.

Fig. 2. Ditto of a fine variegated Auricula.
Page 152.

Fig. 3. Ditto of a fine Polyanthus. Page 225.

Fig. 4. Ditto of a fine double Ranunculus.
Page 90.

PLATE n.

Fig. 1. A corolla, or bloffom, of a fine va-
riegated Tulip, about two-thirds
of the common fize. Vide page

Fig. 2. Dittoof a fine double Anemone, of the
common fize. Page 101, &c.

PLATE

268 DESCRIPTION

PLATE III.

Fig. 1. A corolla, or bloffom, of a fine va-
riegated double Carnation, of the
common fize. Vide page 202
and 203.

Fig. 2. A calyx, or pod, of ditto, tied on
the approach of bloom, to prevent
its burfting. Page 163 and 164.

Fig. 3. An empty calyx of ditto, of the
common fize. Page 204.

Fig. 4. A corolla of a fine double laced Pink,
of the middle fize. Page 217.

Fig. 5. A fingle petal of ditto, the broad end
of which is its lamina, or plate, and
the lower end its unguis, or bafe.
Page 217.

Fig. 6. An empty calyx of ditto, of the mid«
die fize. Page 216.

PLATE IV.
Fig. 1. An Anemone, or tuberous root, of

the common fize. Vide page 94.
Fig. 2. A Tulip, or bulbous tunicated root,

ditto. Page 50, Sec.
Fig. 3. A Hyacinth root, ditto, ditto. Page 24.
Fig. 4. A Ranunculus, or fafciculated root,

ditto. Page 72.
Fig. 5. A fibrous root. Page 119.

PLATE

Plate 3

Fuili/h^doj tJi^Act ^irectf hyJa.fMadAack,Walworth ^f^Jun^ ijpz

Plate 4

^'S-L

TuhLyJi^oj the Act dire/ii^ bj Jaf MadJock, Walworth I^Jzine

Figri

Plate 5.

R B

w

R B

W

R B

W

R

W

R B

W

R B

W

R B

R B

W

R B

W

R B

W

R

W

R B

W

R B

W

R B

R B

W

R B

R B

R B
W

P R

R

w

-K xS

Fig-^

Fig--^;

Publi/kedas the. Act directx hjr Jaf Maddock. Walworth if June, I'jg^-

OF THE PLATES. 269

PLATE V.

Fig. 1. A plan of the furface of the weft-end
of the Hyacinth bed, on a fcale of
half an inch to a foot, as defcribed
page 27 and 28.

Fig. 2. A perfpedive view of a frame, or
awning, to defend a bed, or ftage
of flowers, from the weather, with
the cloth drawn up on one fide.
Page 32 and 33.

a. One of the horizontal pullies (fee
Fig. 3.) fcrewed on the edge of the
ridge-piece.

b. One of the perpendicular pullies
(fee Fig. 4.) fcrewed on the edges
of the end rafters.

c. One end of a long wooden roller,
fattened to the lower edges of the
cloth, with which it is rolled up, or
let down, by lines paffing through
the pullies.

d. One of the boards of the Carnation
ftage placed upon fubftantial fup-
porters (as at e) the lower ends
of which ftand in refervoirs of
water (as at f). Page 165 and i66.

Fig. 3-

270 DESCRIPTION

Fig. 3. One of the horizontal pullies (a.

Fig. 2.) Page 32 and 165. ,

Fig. 4. One of the perpendicular ditto, (b.

Fig. 2.) Page 32 and 165.
Fig. 5. A tranfplanting inftrument, as de-

fcribed page 57 and 58.
Fig. 6. A fmall hexagonal hand-glafs. Page

123, 134, and 183.
Fig. 7. A rofe of a watering pot, defcribed

page 85 and 86.
Fig. 8. A fmall watering pot for Auricula,

<&:c. defcribed page 129 and 130.

PLATE VI.

Fig. 1. A perfpe6live view of the eaft-end of
the winter repofitory for Auriculas
and Carnations ; that for fummer
ufe differing only in having wooden
fhutters fubftituted for the frames
of glafs, on the fouth fide, defcribed
from page 123 to 131.

Fig. 2. A perfpe6live view of the eaft-end
of the Auricula ftage, defcribed

page i35> <^c.
Fig. 3. a, A fern peg ; b, a wooden or bone
ditto, for laying Carnations with,
defcribed page 175.

Fig. 4.

Plate 6.

Fig-p.

Fig-.l.

^PubUpud as the^AU directj by Ja^ Kaddock. Walworth /^'June ijg:;

OF THE PLATE S. 271

Fg. 4. One of the notched ftakes, defcribed

page 124, &:c.
Fig. 5. The furface of a Carnation pot, with

its plant under the operation of

laying, viz.

c, A layer, or fhoot drefTed, and the
incifion made, as defcribed page
176, &:c.

d, A layer pegged down, as defcribed
page 180, &c.

e, A flower ftem held to its ftick by
one of the brafs wires (fee Fig. 7.}
defcribed page 168, &:c.

Fig. 6. One of the paper caps on its ftick, as
defcribed page 164, &:c.

Fig. 7. One of the fmall elaftic brafs wires,
(e, Fig. 5.) Page 168, &:c.

Fig. 8. A fmall pair of wire nippers, to ex-
traft and adjuft petals ; the points
of which are flattened, and bound
with filk, or thread, to prevent
injury. Page 169.

Fig. 9. A fliade for the bloflbms of Hyacinths,
Tulips, &c. previous to the eretlion
of the awning. Page 30 and 54.

Fig. 10. A Carnation, or Pink, piping, com-
pletely prepared. Page 181 and 182.

Fig. 14.

272 DESCRIPTION, &c.

Fig. 11. One of the circular pieces of card,
or ftifF paper, for the bloffoms of
Pinks, as defcribed page 213.

Printed by

Tkrogmorton-Slrett,

FINIS.

^f*!^