248 HINTS TO JUVENILE GARDENERS. 



lilac, shaded with crimson in the same manner. They are shaped 

 like little mitres, and grow very close together, though their stalks 

 are not united. The flowers spring up after the old leaves die 

 away, and form a most beautiful group in the autumn. Their 

 favourite residence is at the roots of an old tree. The seeds are 

 likewise worthy of remark. They, of course, take the place of the 

 flower, and the seed-vessel grows to the size of a small nut, of a 

 dusky -red brown; hut, what is perhaps the most curious of the 

 habits of this singular plant, when the seed is ripe, the stalk, which 

 supported the flower, and was before very straight, now begins to 

 ewrl itself round like a corkscrew, till it gets close to the earth, 

 and even deposits the ripe seed therein, as if for the purpose of 

 taking root ! 



Among small shrubs, the dwarf Almond, all the species of the 

 Mezereon, the Victory Laurel, and the small kind of the Laurus- 

 tiuus, will flourish in the shade ; but above all, the Chinese, or 

 Monthly Rose, will produce its long succession of beautiful buds 

 and blossoms better in a cold shady place than in the full blaze of 

 sunshine. It is desirable to know that this charming flower grows 

 very readily from cuttings, if the slips are planted in the months 

 of June, July, or August. All kinds of the deciduous or Summer 

 Rose are propagated by parting the roots ; but this, which is nearly 

 evergreen, is only multiplied by pieces cut from the bush,* as it 

 never throws up suckers. Whenever the wood of a Monthly Rose 

 plant looks rough, scraggy, and unsightly, it is a good plan to cut 

 it down level with the ground or pot, then divide the branches yon 

 have cut off into many slips, leaving on each two or three joints. 

 Place these in very moist loose earth, having one joint out of the 

 ground, and one or two beneath it ; because, leaves will spring 

 from that part of the slip that is exposed to the air, and roots from 

 the others. The shade of a wall is the best situation for these. 

 The slips must be well watered, and in a few weeks new leaves 

 will appear (a sure sign that the plants have taken root), and the 

 slip will often bear buds and flowers before the end of autumn ; 

 these, however, should be nipped ofF, as they weaken the young 

 plants. They will stand the winter very well, and be fine little 

 Rose trees in the spring, fit to pot ; thus, from the refuse of an old 



• Also by buds, grafts, or inarched. — Ed. Cab. 



