XXIV INTRODUCTION. 



fore be removed in order to make way for summer flowers 

 on the massing system. Spring flower-gardening may 

 be attempted in two ways — in that just sHghtly alluded 

 to, which may be called the migratory system, and in 

 which the practice is to All up the summer flower-garden 

 in autumn, when its characteristic occupants fail, with 

 spring-flowering, perennial, and annual, and variegated 

 plants previously prepared for the end in view in a 

 reserve garden or borders during the summer, to which, 

 if perennial, they are taken back when it is necessary to 

 prepare for the summer campaign. The best recom- 

 mendation of this system is, that it provides furniture for 

 the summer flower-garden at all seasons, but it is at- 

 tended with greater cost; in labour and material than the 

 other practice of setting apart a convenient space to be 

 permanently occupied by spring flowers, and called the 

 *' spring garden." In this permanent garden there may 

 be cultivated many valuable spring flowers that are con- 

 stitutionally averse to frequent removals and disturbance, 

 and consequently unable to stand the wear and tear at- 

 tendant on the other plan, along with many others as 

 charming as any, but so slow of increase by any means 

 as to be ever at a minimum in point of numbers. The 

 practice of spring gardening is yet in its infancy, however, 

 but with the wealth of brilliant material available for it 

 in one way or another, great things may be expected of 

 it ; and as much of the material is comparatively inex- 

 pensive and of the easiest culture, and must of necessity 

 be hardy, the practice of it is rendered much more gene- 

 rally possible to all classes than summer flower-garden- 

 ing on any system with plants of tender constitution. In 

 any case, a general reintroduction of hardy spring flowers 



