88 ALPINE FLOWERS [PART I. 



following spring, as thereby nearly a whole season is lost. 

 Those who already possess a collection of good hardy flowers 

 may find a choice perennial say, for instance, an evergreen 

 Iberis, a Campanula or a Delphinium ripening a crop of seed 

 in May, June, or July. Well, suppose we want to propagate 

 and make the most of it, the true way is to sow it at once, 

 instead of keeping it over the winter, as is usually done. By 

 winter, the seedlings will be strong enough to take care of 

 themselves, and be ready to plant out for flowering wherever it 

 may be desired to place them. 



As to the immediate subject of raising them in spring, we 

 will suppose the seeds provided, and the month of April to 

 have arrived. If not already done, a border or bed should be 

 prepared for them in an open but sheltered and warm position, 

 and where the soil is light and fine. It would be as well to 

 prepare and devote two or three, or more, little beds to this 

 purpose of raising rock plants and hardy flowers. They would 

 form a most useful nursery reserve ground, from which plants 

 could be taken at any time to fill up vacancies, to exchange 

 with those having collections, or to give away to friends ; for 

 assuredly it is one of the pleasures of gardening, to be able to 

 share with friends who admire one of our " good things " ; and 

 by raising them from seed we can be more liberal. If the 

 ground happen not to be naturally fine, light, and open, make it 

 so by adding plenty of sand and leaf-mould, and then surface 

 it with a few inches of fine soil from the compost-yard or 

 potting-shed. The sifted refuse of the potting-bench will do 

 well. Then level the beds, and form little shallow drills in 

 them for the reception of the seed. Let the beds be about 4 

 feet wide, with a little footway or alley between each about 

 15 inches wide, and let them run from the back to the 

 front of the border, not along it. Make the little drills across 

 the beds, and, instead of making these drills with a hoe or 

 anything of the kind, simply take a rake handle, a measuring 

 rod, or any rod perfectly straight that happens to be at hand, 

 and, laying it across the little bed, press it gently down till 

 it leaves a smooth impression about 1 inch deep. Do this 



