By Offsets

"Unlike the offsets of the hyacinth and tulip, those of the ranunculus generally attain perfection in the season of their formation on the parent plant, and are, therefore, fit to be planted as full grown tubers the same season in which they are removed. Smaller ones, which are unfit to bloom the following year, may be planted in a bed prepared, as to be directed for the full sized roots".

By Dividing The Tubers

In minutely examining the crown of a ranunculus root, several small protuberances will be found, from each of which a shoot will arise, and the root may, therefore, be divided by a sharp knife into as many parts as there are protuberances; and thus the danger of losing any rare variety is much diminished. These sections will not bloom till the second year." - Hort. Trans.

Soil

Mr. Hovy of Boston, one of the best of the American horticulturists, is quite right in recommending, as "the best soil for the ranunculus, a strong rich mellow loam; but good garden loam, enriched with very old cow manure, or leaf-mould, will answer - fresh mould, however, will insure a much better bloom".

"A somewhat moist and cool situation," says Dr. Horner, one of the best of amateur floriculturists, "is the most suitable. The bed, therefore, should be so situated that it receive but a few hours of the morning sun, and be in the lowest part of the garden. It must not be raised higher than the surrounding walks; should be two feet in depth of soil, and have board instead of box edging, that slugs, etc, which often eat the tender foliage and opening flower-buds of some varieties, may not be sheltered. The only suitable soil is a retentive loam, from the surface of a rich old pasture, the sods included; to which should be added, and well incorporated, one third of thoroughly-decayed cow manure. Fresh manure must be avoided, as the roots will not bloom where it exists, but many will perish. All hot and stimulating composts are equally pernicious. With the enriched soil just recommended, the bed should be made at the beginning of October, and finished off, and, on no account, disturbed till planting time; for it is all important that the soil be compact and close in which the roots are planted.

"The practice of putting some inches of manure at the bottom of the bed is not to be commended; the roots either will not reach it at all, or if they do, their sudden transition into deep compost is at least unnatural: it is more consonant with reason that the food should be generally and equally distributed." - Gard. Chron.

Planting

"The bed being about four feet in width," adds Dr. Horner, "and any suitable length, and having been neatly smoothed over, the roots should be planted about five inches distant from each other in rows, which, again, should be about six inches apart. If planted closer, as is commonly the case, the plants will grow comparatively weak, and bloom more sparingly.

"The situation of the rows having been marked out, holes, one and a half inch deep, should be dibbled with the finger, or other instrument, in which the roots should be compactly set, and covered over with soil, after the manner of dibbling beans, by this means the surrounding soil is not disturbed, but left close and retentive.

"The next best plan is drawing drills across the beds in rows, setting the roots therein, and then filling them up with the displaced soil; the worst of all plans being the raking the bed evenly over, setting the roots on it, and then covering the whole one and a half inch with loose soil - yet this is commonly practised." - Ibid.