88 NAT. ORDER. COMPOSIT.aE. 



ble for cultivation, and when the weather proves dry or unfavorable 

 a little water should be given them, especially at the time when they 

 are first planted. 



When the sowing of these seeds are not made at an early period, 

 the best practice is to let it be done in the situations where the 

 plants are to grow, which should be rather warm and dry, the mould 

 being made fine by the rake previous to their being sown ; as by 

 this process their growth is less checked than when transplanted. 

 In either method of sowing, care should be taken to cover the seed 

 but slightly, and that the bed of earth be made fine and mellow. 

 The only further culture which they require is that of keeping the 

 plants perfectly free from weeds and well supported in the time of 

 flowering. 



The Italian species, as well as the whole of the hardy American 

 sorts, may be easily increased by parting the roots. In the Ameri- 

 can, it is best performed in the autumn, the parted roots being imme- 

 diately planted out in the places where they are designed to flower. 

 The Italian sort requires some little different treatment — they should 

 have tiie roots parted and replanted as soon as the flowers begin to 

 decline, as, if deferred till autumn or spring the growth is very much 

 retarded and weakened, and they do not flower so freely. The roots 

 in this kind should not be taken up oftener than once in two or three 

 years, where a full display of flowers is the principal object. 



This sort has been very much neglected, especially since the intro- 

 duction of the American species ; but from the plants creeping less 

 by the roots, and requiring less support in the stems, they are equally 

 deserving of regard for the purpose of cultivation. 



As this sort is not, however, capable of increasing fast by dividing 

 the roots, it may be more readily multiplied by planting the cuttings 

 from the young shoots, in the latter part of spring, in situations where 

 the mould is light and fine, being well shaded from the effects of the 

 sun till they are perfectly established in the soil. Tlie last, or 

 shrubby sort, must be propagated by setting the cuttings of the 



