THE GARDEN 



prevent the soil from heaving under the action 

 of frost and breaking the tender roots of the 

 plants. Some roots, however, are elastic 

 enough to be able to adjust themselves to the 

 strain made upon them, but those of the bulbs 

 are not of this class, and because of their inelas- 

 ticity they are sure to be greatly injured if 

 not given the protection they need. 



Hardy herbaceous and perennial plants can 

 be set out or transplanted to advantage in fall. 

 Old clumps are quite likely to need division and 

 resetting. In order to keep them in vigorous 

 health prune away all weak and diseased roots, 

 and in no way can this be done so effectively as 

 by lifting the entire plant, cutting it apart, 

 and discarding all but the strongest roots. If 

 this is done as soon as the plant ceases to grow 

 and appears to be dormant, the newly-set plant 

 will have time to make considerable root- 

 growth in its new location before cold weather 

 puts an end to work of this kind. Next season 

 it will bloom as if nothing had happened to it, 

 but, of course, it will not give as many flowers 

 as an older plant because there will be fewer 

 flower-stalks ; but it will make a strong growth 

 during the season, and the second year will see 

 it at its best. After the third crop of flowers 



135 



