The Gardentr's New Director. 245 



Cbrijlmas Rofe^ or Black Hellebore. 



THE firft flower which introduces the Tpring, is bo- 

 tanically named, Flelleborus uiger, /lore albo, in- 

 terdum rubentey j. B. It blows in mild winters before 

 Cbrifimas, and is very pleafing in the garden ; it bears 

 a rofaceous flower upon fmall Hems, which arife about 

 two inches or a little more from the ground, and has a 

 faint, but very agreeable fmeil. This plant may be 

 propagated by parting its roots in Augujl, fo as they may 

 ftrike new root before winter, planting them where they 

 may liave the benefit of the winter's fun, to make them 

 expand their blofloms early : fome of them may be plant- 

 ed in a more fhady fituation, in which they profper befl 

 of any. — They require a frefh earth, but not dunged ;• 

 as it is apt to rot them. — They are alfo propagated from 

 feeds, which fhould be fown in fhady borders (but not 

 under the droppings of trees, that being very prejudi- 

 cial to all young plants.) In June, when the feeds are 

 ripe, fow them ; keep the bed cltrar from weeds, and 

 they will come up the following fpring. They may con- 

 tinue in their prefcnt fituation until March, when they 

 fhould be tranfplaniid into the nurfery-bed, where they 

 are to flower, and in "June, or in any of the fiimmer 

 months, plant them into borders or wildeniefs quarters, 

 where they arc to ilund for good. 



It is for this reafon that I have advifed the fowing and 

 continuing to fow the ieeds of the Cbrijlmas Rofe, the 

 Winter Aconite, the White Hepatica, and fome other 

 flowers, that if a double one fliould be raifcd of any of 

 thcfc flowers, which has never yet appeared, inch an 

 Jincommon produ6^ion will give pleafure, if not profit, 

 for the labour and attention. 



In the courfe of my procefs for flowers, 1 fliall fre- 

 «|iiently direil?t ihe fowinii; the feeds of manv flowers, as 



S ' from 



