ROCKET. 321 



rarely survive the second year; nor will those with 

 double flowers continue niueli longer, so that unless 

 young plants are annually raised to supply the 

 place of the old ones, there will soon be a want of 

 them, which is what few persons are careful enough 

 to observe ; but thinking the roots to be perennial, 

 trust to their putting out offsets ; or the plants re- 

 maining after they have flowered, and finding them 

 decay, are apt to think their soil very improper for 

 them, and are at a loss to account for their decay- 

 ing : whereas, when the plants have flowered, they 

 have finished their period, and seldom continue to 

 flower a second time from the same root, though, 

 in poor land, they will often put out a few weak off- 

 sets, which may flower again, but seldom so strong as 

 the principal root ; therefore those who are desirous 

 to propagate these plants should do it in the fol- 

 lowing manner : — 



ct There should be some strong roots of each sort 

 kept apart for this purpose, which are not intended 

 to flower. When these have shot up their flower- 

 stalks about six inches high, they should be cut 

 close to the bottom ; each of these may be divided 

 in the middle to make two cuttings, which should 

 be planted in a soft, gentle, loamy soil, to an east 

 exposure, where they may have only the morning 

 sun ; and these may be planted pretty near to- 

 gether, so as to be covered with hand or bell-glasses, 



P o 



