32 FLOWER-GARDENING. 



for nature to replenish the earth with food adapted to their 

 respective requirements, which by the gradual changes from 

 cool to temperate, and from that to warm weather, is affected 

 to that degree as to enable all the various species of plants, col- 

 lected from every climate and soil under the sun, to reward the 

 industrious cultivator by a gradual exhibition of their fascinat- 

 ing blossoms, and a distribution of their odoriferous sweets, 

 throughout the three propitious seasons of the year. 



In distinguishing between biennials and perennials, I have 

 only marked such as are apt to die after once blossoming, 

 and which can only be renewed from seed. Some of those 

 species, frequently classed with biennials, as Aquilegia or 

 Columbines, Dianthus, etc., are in reality perennial, and may 

 be easily perpetuated from year to year, by suckers, layers, or 

 any of the ordinary methods of propagation. Frequent renewal 

 of the roots of perennials is absolutely necessary to their pros- 

 perity or yery existence. Many species are by nature best 

 adapted for propagation at the footstalks, from their yielding 

 little or no seed at the top of the plant. This is particularly 

 the case with choice double-flowering plants, the roots of which 

 in many cases constitute the seed, which must be perpetuated 

 by root offsets, cuttings, etc. 



The annexed Catalogue embraces a great proportion of the 

 most desirable of what are termed fibrous-rooted herbaceous 

 plants, the seed or roots of which may be obtained at seed-stores 

 and nurseries. The estimated height applies to plants of a 

 year's growth. Some will arrive to more than three times that 

 height when cultivated in a green-house ; and even in open- 

 ground culture the same plants will vary considerably, accord- 

 ing to the soil or situation in which they are grown. The speci- 

 fied height, however, although unavoidably imperfect, may serve 

 as a guide to the gardener in arranging his flower-beds. Those 

 marked thus f, being tender and half-hardy, will need protection 

 in the winter. Those marked thus | are biennials. Those 

 marked thus * yield little or no seed. There are also many 

 other species of which the seed is unattainable, from its being 



