MAINTENANCE 89 



lift and divide the roots of perennials every two or three years. 

 Spreading and shallow-rooted perennials will thrive and flower much 

 better if divided and transplanted each year. If this "dividing" is not 

 undertaken each year the "clumps" become crowded and the individu- 

 al flowering stocks do not have an opportunity to develop normally. 

 The result is that many dead stocks remain in the middle of the clump 

 and a much inferior type of flower is produced. 



Illustrations of this group of perennials which should be divided 

 each season and preferably during the early spring before growth 

 begins are the hardy asters, the sneeze-weed, yellow marguerite, ball 

 of snow, English daisy, and the pompom chrysanthemum. If these 

 plants are not taken up, divided, and replanted in good rich soil, the 

 plants during the succeeding year will not produce large flowering heads, 

 neither will they produce the strong, vigorous growth which they are 

 accustomed to produce. Most of these plants are vigorous growers and 

 heavy feeders and it does not take them long to sap from the soil much 

 of the good food matter which is so necessary to their normal growth. 



The plume poppy, Shasta daisy, and yellow marguerite will be 

 surrounded by a large number of young plants, which spread out and 

 surround the parent plant, with the result that a number of inferior 

 plants occupy the space which should be occupied by only a few fine, 

 thrifty specimens, providing the parent plants are not divided and 

 transplanted each year. With the yellow marguerite especially, it is 

 much better to discard the old roots and to preserve in the dividing only 

 those roots which are the result of the previous year's development as 

 offshoots from the parent plant. Many times the seedlings that 

 spring up around these plants are equally as preferable if trans- 

 planted and given ample space to develop normally. 



In the group of plants which should be divided at least every two 

 years are included a few of the more vigorous types of the garden phlox 

 together with the boltonia and the bee-balm. 



There is a group of perennials which should be divided on the 

 average of once every three years. They will not be benefited through 

 the process of being divided at more frequent intervals. This list 

 includes the common garden phlox, painted daisy, most types of the 

 larkspur, the lily-of-the-valley, a few asters, and the hardy sun-flowers. 

 The common impression with reference to the lily-of-the-valley is that 

 it should not be divided or transplanted after the time of transplanting 

 the original plants. Those persons who have had an intimate acquain- 



