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 MARCH] FLOWER GARDEN. 311 



DOUBLE DAISIES. 



These beautiful little flowering plants may, about the end this 

 month, be taken from the winter repositories and planted for edgings 

 in shady borders; for if planted in open exposures, the summer heat 

 will totally destroy them, unless they are removed into the shade as 

 soon as their first bloom is over. The roots may now be separated 

 for increase, as every shoot of them, if slipped off, will root freely. 

 They may also be removed into pots with balls of earth adhering to 

 their roots, where they will blow handsomely, but it would have been 

 better if they were planted in these in September or October. 



' 



GIVING FRESH EARTH TO VARIOUS PLANTS IN POTS. 



Give some fresh earth to the pots of double wall-flowers, double 

 stock July flowers, double sweet williains, rockets, rose campions, 

 catchfly, campanulas, scarlet lychnis, and such like plants, which 

 were potted last autumn or before. 



In doing this, clear the plants first from decayed leaves, and take 

 some of the earth out of the tops of the pots, but not too deep to dis- 

 turb the roots of the plants ; then fill up the pots again with fresh 

 earth, and give some water; this will strengthen their roots, and the 

 plants will shoot freely and produce large flowers. 



PRICKING OUT EARLY ANNUALS. 



If any tender annuals were sown last month, such as cockscombs, 

 tricolors, Ipomoeas, sensitive plants, ice plants, balsams, &c., in order 

 to have them in perfection at an earlier period than common, make a 

 new hot-bed towards the middle or latter end of this, in which to 

 prick them to forward their growth. Let the hot-bed be about thirty 

 inches high, and make the top even; then set on the frame; and 

 when the great heat is over, let the earth be put in; let it be light, 

 rich, and perfectly dry, and lay it equally over the bed six inches 

 thick ; when warm, prick the plants therein at three or four inches 

 distant each way, or some may also be pricked in small pots, one 

 good plant in each, and plunged in the earth of the bed ; giving the 

 whole a little sprinkling of water; then let the glasses be put on, 

 observing to raise them behind a little every day to admit air and 

 let out the steam; shade the plants from the sun till they have taken 

 fresh root. 



When they are rooted and begin to push, they should have fresh 

 air every day ; therefore let the upper ends of the glasses be raised 

 an inch or two or three in height to admit it ; but shut them down 

 towards the evening, and cover them every night with mats ; remem- 

 ber to sprinkle them with water occasionally, giving but a little at 

 each time. 



Keep up the heat of the bed by occasionally lining with hot dung. 

 Thus these tender annuals are to be continued forwarding in growth 



