THE CULTURE OF THE GARDEN RANUNCULUS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2226, 16 April 1881, Page 4

THE CULTURE OF THE GARDEN RANUNCULUS.

The numerous varieties of the garden ranunculus are all the offspring, by selection, of the species known to botanists as Ranunculus Asiaticus. They do not engage the attention of florists now so much as they did a generation or more back. Though why this is so would be difficult to esy. The marvellous beauty and symmetry of the flowers are in no way lessened, and their culture has not become more difficult. We presume the immense variety of flowers that has been introduced during the last twenty-five or thirty years, many of which cost leas both to buy and cultivate, has operated to bring about the partial neglect of these most beautiful ranunculi, as well as many other old-fashioned things. There is, however, an occasional indication of a revival of interest in these fine old flowers to be mot with in gardens which is very gratifying to see. The culture of garden ranunculus in past times was made somewhat of a mystery by the old florists. Those who excelled in their culture maintained that their success was due solely to the compost they made use of; and they endeavoured by every means to prevent their neighbours from getting a knowledge of the component parts of this compost, and of the relative proportion of the different parts and the manner of mixing them. But all of them made one ingredient the base of the compost, and that ingredient was the best turfy loam they could possibly obtain. This was usually cut from some piece of rich meadow, and laid on the surface of the ground loosely in the beginning of winter for the purpose of having it exposed to frost, which had the double benefit of driving the dormant worm out of the sod to greater depths for better protection from cold and also the ameliorating effect on tho texture of the soil which frost only can give. To such soil as this, after it has been stacked for a year, a fourth part may bo added of horse or cow manure, after it ha* been mellowed by turning it over frequently. If the soil should bo inclined,to heaviness, mix some sharp sea or river sand with it, and thoroughly incorporate the whole together. If possible, a moderately moist and shady position should be chosen for the bed in which tho roots are to be grown, but avoid a wet bottom. In that case, tho bed should be raised above the surface level, so as to insure the thorough drainage of all superfluous water. Tho practice of the old florists was to excavate tho whole of tho old soil and wheel it away, filling up annually the space thus excavated with now compost. No doubt this should ensure complete success, but wo do not consider it in any degree necessary, except where tho soil is apt to become surcharged with moisture, and thereby deteriorated. In that cose, wo should certainly say renew the soil annually, but in no other would anything but partial renewal bo necessary. The roots may bo planted at from five to nino inches apart each way, according to the strength of tho tubers and dry weather, and a dry state of tho ground should always bo chosen for the work of planting.