70 THE CHRONICLES OF A GARDEN. 



common flowers. He also alludes to this passing away of 

 even favourites when neglected, because out of fashion ; but 

 it is to the last portion of the passage I am about to quote 

 that I wish particularly to call the reader's attention, as it 

 refers to one of the greatest pleasures connected with either 

 gardening or any other pursuit, — namely, that of making 

 experiments : — 



" It is very singular, but it is certainly a fact, that many, 

 or say all the summer-flowering herbaceous plants which 

 creep about by their roots, or by stolons, which are under- 

 ground branches, and not true roots, will flower from twice 

 to four times their natural time, or usual length of time, if 

 they are taken up in the spring before they make much 



growth, and are divided There are a great number 



of hardy plants in the way of composites, or with aster- 

 looking flowers ; and many of them might be had in flower 

 more than double the usual time if they were treated after 

 this manner. I used to know a good many of those old- 

 fashioned plants, and not a bit the worse for being so; but 

 I forget many of them, as one so seldom meets with any- 

 thing now-a-days which is thought much of, unless it be 

 new, or recently introduced ; but I make no doubt about 

 there being numbers of bedding hardy plants, now ne- 

 glected in botanic arrangements, or in shrubbery borders, 

 and the hint I wish to convey respecting them is this : — 

 When the borders are having their spring dressing, let side- 

 pieces from old patches of herbaceous plants be divided a 

 little, and reset near to the established plant or patch, and 

 let them be looked after f(^r the rest of the season, and see 



