APRIL] FLOWER GARDEN. 369 



month, but if slips or cuttings are to be used, they will require very 

 frequent waterings till they throw out and establish fibres or young 

 roots. Rooted plants, however, or slips with the roots attached to 

 theni, will succeed well in the early part of the month, if watered 

 occasionally. (For the method of planting and forming box edgings, 

 see page 316.) 



Thyme, hyssop, winter savory and lavender are sometimes planted 

 for edgings ; but these grow rather out of compass or get stubby and 

 naked by close clipping. 



Pinks may likewise be occasionally planted for edgings, and will 

 grow in tolerably close order for a year or two, and produce abund- 

 ance of flowers. 



Thrift, if neatly planted, makes handsome edgings to borders or 

 flower-beds, both in its evergreen property and as a pretty flowering 

 plant in summer. This may be planted either in a close edging as 

 directed for a box, or with a dibble, setting the plants near enough 

 to touch one another, so as at once to form a tolerable close row, or, 

 however, not above two or three inches apart, giving occasional 

 waterings for a week or two if necessary. 



London-pride, that is, the Saxifraga umbrosa, will make a very 

 neat edging, and is to be planted as directed for thrift. 



Double daisies are made use of in many parts of Europe for edgings, 

 and form very neat ones ; but they are not able to bear he heat of 

 our summers, which seldom fail to destroy them when fully exposed 

 thereto; nor can they survive, without some slight protection, the 

 severe winters of the middle and eastern States. 



Any of our Sisyrincliiums, but particularly the mucronatum, will 

 make beautiful edgings; they keep blowing a long time, look very 

 gay, and may now be propagated by parting their roots and planting 

 them as directed for thrift. They are indigenous, and bear our sum- 

 mers and winters well. 



Strawberries may be occasionally used to make edgings for large 

 walks, and answer the double purpose of pleasure and profit. 



Where box-edgings want trimming, it should now be done, although 

 this is not the general season for clipping them; but notwithstand- 

 ing, when they appear in need of it, let them be handsomely dressed 

 with a pair of garden shears, which will add much to their neatness. 



The sisyrinchium will bear trimming extremely well, and continue 

 to produce flower-stems and flowers notwithstanding. 



Where any of the above edgings have, for want of care, grown 

 into rude disorder, they should be taken up, slipped, or divided, and 

 replanted in a close regular manner. 



TUBEROSES. 



To have this fragrant flower in tolerable early perfection you may, 

 about the first of this month, or any time in March, plant a few roots 

 in pots of light rich mould, one in each, first stripping off the offsets, 

 for if these are left on they will draw away a considerable part of 

 the nourishment, whereby the bloom will be greatly weakened. The 

 upper part of the roots, when planted in pots, should only be covered 

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