COLUMBINE. 133 



blossoms of such shrubs as flower early. The 

 Columbine continues in flower from the end of 

 May to the end of July. Curious varieties may 

 be increased by parting the roots, but the best 

 manner of propagating these plants in general is 

 by seed, which should be sov/n in August or Sep- 

 tember, and in the following May the young 

 plants may be placed out in a bed at about nine 

 inches apart, where they will obtain strength by 

 the autumn sufficient for transplanting into the 

 spots where they are intended to flower in the 

 following summer. It is, however, more desirable 

 that they should be suffered to blossom in the 

 nursery -bed, as by this means the best varieties 

 may be selected and clumps formed of different 

 colours agreeable to the taste of the planter, or 

 as may best harmonize with the neighbouring 

 flowers. 



The virtues of this plant for many malignant 

 disorders have been highly extolled by old me- 

 dical writers, every part of the plant from the 

 root to the seed was thought efficacious for some 

 particular complaint ; but as Linnaeus tells us that 

 he has known children lose their lives by an over 

 dose of it, we shall forbear giving medical ex- 

 tracts, that might mislead the ignorant, and the 

 Faculty of the present day need not our hints as 



