BIENNIAL AND PERENNIAL FLOWERS. 33 



into flower-pots, and sheltered either in a garden-frame., 

 green-house, or light room. Those plants with tuberoug 

 roots, such as Dahlias, Marvel of Peru, and also some others 

 of the Bean and Pea tribe, may be cut down late in the au- 

 tumn, and the roots taken up and preserved in the same 

 manner as those of other tuberous and bulbous-rooted plants, 

 of which I shall treat hereafter. 



Hardy Biennial and Perennial flower seed may be sown 

 in the month of April, in shallow drills. If this business be 

 performed in the manner recommended for Annuals, they 

 can be easily distinguished from each other ; and as these 

 plants do not flower the first year, they may be thinned out, 

 or removed from the seed-beds as soon as they are well 

 rooted, and planted either in different parts of the flower 

 beds, or in a nursery-bed. If the latter plan be adopted, 

 they should be planted in rows a foot or more apart, and 

 kept free from weeds by means of a small hoe, which will 

 greatly promote their growth, and prepare them for trans- 

 planting into the regular and permanent blossoming-beds, 

 either in the autumn or early in the ensuing spring. 



It may be here observed that Biennials seldom survive the 

 second winter to flower in perfection, unless they are renewed 

 by cuttings of top shoots, young flower stalks, or casual off- 

 sets, layers, &c. It will be unnecessary to take this trouble, 

 unless with some extraordinary double-flowering plants. 

 Some of the Perennials may be increased by root offsets 

 detached from the old plants, and planted in spring or au- 

 tumn ; others by bottom suckers t and slips of top shoots, 

 layers, pipings of young shoots, &c. Pinks, Sweet Williams, 

 Pansies, and double Violets, also Periwinkle, or running 

 Myrtle, and many other similar plants, may be increased by 

 simply laying their branches an inch or two under the sur- 

 face, in July and August. After roots have formed, which 

 may be expected in six or eight weeks, each tuft or plant 

 may be transplanted into the borders. 



Many sorts of Biennial and Perennial flower seed may be 



