35 



stroyed. The boxes or pots should remain in such shad}' situations 

 until the beginning of October, when they may be moved so as to 

 enjoy the full sun during the winter season. In March, when the 

 plants begin to appear, they should be again removed so as to have 

 only the forenoon sun; for if they arc too much exposed to heat the 

 young plants are soon destroyed. They should be refreshed occa- 

 sionally with water in dry weather, and be carefully kept clean from 

 weeds. 



When the leaves are entirely decayed, the roots should be taken 

 up in the manner directed above; and as there will be many small 

 roots left, the earth should either be returned into the boxes again, or 

 spread upon a bed of light earth, to see what plants may rise the 

 succeeding year. The roots after bding thus taken up should be 

 immediately replanted in beds of light fresh sandy earth, about three 

 or four inches asunder; covering them about three inches thick with 

 the same light earlh. The spring following most of the plants will 

 produce flowers, but not so large or fair as in the succeeding years. 

 As the roots of these plants are fleshy, and generally run down deep, 

 they will not bear to be kept long out of the ground; therefore, 

 when they are removed, it should be done early in the autumn, that 

 they may take fresh root before the frost sets in. 



In this mode of propagation the plants thrive best in loamy soil; 

 as in very light dry ground they are apt to be destroyed by too 

 much heat. 



These are plants that afford variety in the borders of pleasure- 

 grounds, especially the first species and its varieties, which are hardy, 

 succeeding in almost any situation. 



In the hepatica kind the propagation may be effected in the single 

 sorts either by the seed or the parting of the roots; but in the double 

 it can only be done by the latter method. The seed of the single 

 flowers frequently, however, produces double ones. New varieties 

 are likewise raised in the former manner. 



In the first method the most proper season for sowing the seeds 

 is in the beginning of August, either in pots or boxes of light earth, 

 which should be placed so as to have only the morning sun until 



