46 THE CARNATION MANUAL. 



hardy plants, or such things as Stocks, Zinnias, 

 Asters, Verbenas, Phlox, &c. These, if prepared for 

 early flowering, are on the wane by autumn, and it 

 is easy to destroy them, dig the ground, re-enrich 

 it, if necessary, with thoroughly rotten manure, 

 and then all is ready for planting our layers from 

 the nursery. What a great gain we have here 

 All the beds need not be bare and dreary for the 

 winter months, and when the next year comes a 

 great part of the garden is planted. After planting 

 thus early, the plants obtain firm roothold of the 

 ground, and though the winter be long and severe 

 we need not be anxious. When the thaw comes it 

 is w^ell to look the plants over. The frost has 

 upheaving tendencies, and if it should have lifted 

 up or loosened any of the plants, they should be 

 pressed back in their places. All that noAv re- 

 mains is to keep them fi'ee from weeds, and as 

 warm, dry weather approaches, fortify them against 

 drought with a mulching of rotten manure, leaf- 

 mould, or even fresh soil with soot or wood-ashes 

 mixed with it. As the flower-stems appear, there 

 is nothing neater and less conspicuous than a 

 hazel-stick to afford the necessary support. Now 

 that all is told, it is apparent what httle labour 

 is involved, and that only at a time when it can 

 be performed with pleasure. 



As many flower-gardens have extensive grounds 

 attached to them, it may be well to state that game 



