172 FLORA DOMESTIC A. 



Must fly before the knife; the withered leaf 

 Must he detached, and where it strews the floor, 

 Swept with a woman's neatness, breeding else 

 Contagion, and disseminating death. 

 Discharge but these kind offices, (and who 

 Would spare, that loves them, offices like these) 

 Well they reward the toil. The sight is pleased, 

 The scent regaled, each odoriferous leaf, 

 Each opening blossom freely breathes abroad 

 Its gratitude, and thanks him with its sweets." 



COWPER. 



The tube-rooted kinds may be increased by parting the 

 roots, which should be done in August : every tuber that 

 has an eye to it will grow. Such as are raised from slips 

 should be planted in May, June, or July, taking only the 

 last year's shoots, from which the lower leaves must be 

 stripped. When planted, give them water, and place them 

 in the shade. In four or five weeks they will have taken 

 root, when they may be so placed as to enjoy the sun till 

 eleven in the morning, and there remain until removed to 

 their winter quarters. The slips chosen for cutting should 

 not be such as bear flowers ; and they should be inserted 

 about half their length in the earth. 



Many of the Geraniums are annual ; and as they are so 

 numerous, it would be well, where there is room but for a 

 few, to select such as are perennial. The cuttings of dif- 

 ferent species of the Pelargoniums do not all strike root 

 with equal readiness. The following may be readily in- 

 creased in this manner : 



The Multifid-leaved or Pelargonium Radvla. 



The Clammy Glutinosum. 



The Heart-leaved Cor datum. 



The Prickly-stalked Echinatum. 



The Square-stalked Tetragonum. 



The Birch -leaved Betulinum. 



The Ternate Ternatum. 



The shrubby kinds are the most tender ; the others re- 

 quire shelter from frost only, and should have free air ad- 



