BALCONY GARDENING. 231 



Then prepare for winter ; dig over the boxes, pulling up 

 roots of dead plants, being careful not to disturb perennials. 

 And plant a dozen good hyacinths, fifty crocus, a few jon- 

 quils, and a hundred snow-drops, for early bloom the next 

 spring. When severe frosts come, cover half a foot of 

 coarse manure over your boxes, laying down under its pro- 

 tection your hardy climbers, such as honeysuckles, clema- 

 tis, trumpet flowers, and wistaria, if you have them, or 

 else mat them up carefully in straw or old bass mats. 



Now you have only to enjoy your flowers in the memory 

 of the past summer, or in anticipations for the future, un- 

 less, with us, you would have flowers in winter, and will 

 devote an hour each day to window gardening, or study 

 with us, in the next chapter, the Wardian Case. 



