THE FLORIST. 41 



regularly mixed, or the centre of the bed may be filled with one 

 colour, and the margin with another. Snowdrops and Crocus may 

 be introduced in the intermediate spaces, which will prolong the 

 succession of bloom. 



Hepaticas merit a place in every spring garden ; but they dislike 

 being often transplanted, unless under very favourable circumstances, 

 and even then they take a considerable time to make good plants ; 

 but they are well worth a little extra trouble. They may be propa- 

 gated from seed ; but careful division is the most expeditious method. 

 The Wood Hyacinth and Daffodil, which give the colours of blue and 

 yellow, may both be obtained in almost any copse. They are attrac- 

 tive, and have an advantage over the others in this respect, that they 

 may be left in the ground during the summer, and that they allow 

 Verbenas, and similar plants, to be introduced above them. The 

 Wallflower must not be overlooked ; for it not only yields us flowers 

 for a lengthened period, but it fills every breeze that passes over it 

 with a delicious perfume. By sowing a pinch of its seed every 

 spring, and nipping the points off the leading shoots, nice compact 

 plants will be formed, fit for introducing into the flow r er-garden in 

 October. As the tender stock is apt to perish, if the plants could 

 be potted when about four or five inches high, it would insure their 

 flowering earlier, harden their tissue, and enable them better to 

 withstand the rigour of winter. The double varieties of Wallflower 

 are very ornamental, but are more difficult to get in quantity. The 

 most successful way of propagating them is by cuttings, taken off 

 with a heel ; or, if that is impracticable, bark the intended cutting all 

 round a fortnight previous to taking it off, and strike under a hand- 

 glass at the base of a wall. Take care to prevent damp from accu- 

 mulating on the surface, as this proves fatal to their wellbeing. The 

 usual bedding plants which are turned out in May may be introduced 

 among them ; they afford protection to them alike from late frosts 

 and from the scorching sun. 



Many annuals are exceedingly useful for early flowering, if sown 

 early in autumn, and transplanted into the beds in October. Nemo- 

 philas, Collinsias, Gilias, Clarkias, and Candy-tufts, are among the 

 best for this purpose, and offer considerable variety of colour. The 

 Anemone is also easily managed, and will yield a few flowers all 

 winter, if the latter be at all mild ; it requires to be carefully lifted, 

 and is better to be kept in the soil. Many more plants might be 

 named, but these are a few of the easily obtainable. 



Verna. 



QUICKLIME A PREVENTIVE OF DAMP IN PLANT-FRAMES. 



As the season has now arrived when plants under protection in pits, 

 frames, or other structures, not artificially dried or ventilated, are 

 injured by damp, the following plan is submitted to remedy the evil : 



