208 OCTOBER 



in this regard. One or two of them have said that 

 the plant renews itself when in autumn it exhibits 

 side shoots which have not flowered in the summer 

 previous. This may be true, though not invariably, 

 and I do not know how the plants are to be treated 

 to make true perennials of them, if indeed this may 

 be done. But in borders that are not dug over 

 and no properly established border should ever be 

 so rudely treated the seeds will sow themselves 

 from year to year, so that in a few summers, 

 instead of the single parent plant, there will be 

 a colony of seedlings extending themselves yearly 

 until they become a mighty nation, unless anything 

 happens to stamp them out. Another sort of 

 coreopsis, that called lanceolata, is a real perennial, 

 and does not require the attention demanded by the 

 larger and earlier variety. 



I cannot quite understand why mignonette is such 

 a fickle plant. I sow ounces of seed in all direc- 

 tions, but often enough none comes up. I fancy 

 the chief reason is that the cold winds and late 

 frosts of May kill the germinating property at its 

 birth. The best plan is to make a series of sow- 

 ings, when some will probably do well. It does 

 not matter if the seeds come up sparsely, for one 

 plant will cover a large area if the conditions are 

 suitable. In fact, if the seeds come up plentifully, 

 a severe thinning will be necessary to ensure the 

 best results. 



Why do most of my columbines turn into old 

 women's bonnets ? I cannot say, but it certainly is 

 the nature of the plant to revert to the primitive 

 type. Some of the best seedlings after a summer's 



