90 THE COMPLETE GARDEN 



tance with the flowering habits of this plant state that it should be 

 divided at least once every three years if an abundance of large blooms 

 is to be obtained. 



Such plants as the larkspur should be divided with great care every 

 three or four years and each division of this plant should be left with 

 a good crown attached to which is a quantity of good fibrous root 

 growth. 



The greatest success in dividing perennials will be attained with 

 those plants whose roots can be readily pulled apart with no severe 

 ruptures. Those plants which have heavy roots like the larkspur and 

 some of the irises should be subdivided with much greater care. 

 Biennials will renew themselves by seeding if the soil is not disturbed 

 around them to any great extent. A few perennials such as the yellow 

 marguerite and some of the hardy asters will also renew themselves 

 each year by seeds dropped from the parent plant. Every perennial 

 garden is benefited by a thorough spading over at least once in three 

 years. When a garden is filled with perennials the spading does not in 

 general reach deep into the soil, nor does it cover the entire area. The 

 best soil for these plants is one which is friable and not too compact. 

 This is the reason for spading every two or three years. 



Plants may be dug up and separated by hand or thinned out in the 

 beds by cutting with a clean, sharp spade or trowel and removing the 

 excess plants. Replanting should be done in fresh soil if possible, or 

 some new soil and bone meal would better be worked in. Care should 

 be taken in the replanting that the crown of the plant is not smothered. 

 It is equally fatal to the plant to be set too low or too high. Divide 

 and replant in the spring those fall-blooming sorts which continue in 

 full bloom until late in the season, such as chrysanthemums and ane- 

 mones, and all fleshy-rooted plants except the peony. (For the peony 

 and the iris in particular, and for planting perennials in general see 

 Pages 39 and 47.) The best time of the year for lifting and separating 

 perennials in general is probably the fall. The early-flowering peren- 

 nials like some of the irises and the leopard's bane should give the best 

 result by dividing and transplanting shortly after they have completed 

 their flowering period. One objection to fall planting, however, is 

 that the smaller plants heave out if planted too late or are apt to 

 get lost during mulching or in the "cleaning up" work of the spring. 

 Plants with heavy tops or fleshy roots in general, except the iris and the 

 peony, are more liable to rot if planted in the fall. If the planting of 



