PRESERVATION OF SEEDS. 129 



them ; because the sap in an evergreen is more or 

 less in motion at every season of the year, and the 

 plant is never so completely dormant as in the case 

 of deciduous trees. Formerly it was thought that 

 the best season for removing evergreens, was in 

 the latter part of summer, shortly after they had 

 completed their year's growth; but this doctrine 

 was only acted upon in the time of Miller and be- 

 fore, when there were comparatively few species 

 of evergreens in British gardens, and it has been 

 recently found by Mr. McNab, (see his Treatise on 

 Transplanting Evergreens.} that evergreens may 

 be transplanted with much greater safety in mild 

 weather in autumn or winter, than at any other 

 period of the year. Herbaceous plants may, in 

 general, be transplanted at any season, when they 

 are not in flower or coming into flower ; but the 

 safest time for perennials is in autumn, after they 

 have ripened their seeds and are going into a dor- 

 mant state. Biennial and annual plants are best 

 transplanted when quite young, or after they have 

 obtained their second or third pair of leaves ; and 

 seedlings in general may be treated in a similar 

 manner. In all cases of planting, (excepting with 

 Cacti and other succulents,) the plants should be 

 watered as soon as they are fixed in their new sit- 

 uations ; and when practicable, they should be 

 shaded a few days from the heat of the sun. 



GATHERING AND PRESERVATION OF SEEDS. 



The gathering and preservation of seeds is an 



occupation peculiarly agreeable to persons fond of 



gardening ; partly, no doubt, because it contains so 



much of future promise, and on the same principle 



12 



