GARDENING. 93 



that of being grown in a pot. Climbing plants require 

 to be supported by poles or rods, as some sorts of honey- 

 suckle, bignonia, aristolochia, &:c.; by props, as pyra- 

 midal bell-flower, dahlia, euphorbia, &c. or by branches 

 or spray, as the nasturtium and pea tribe. Much of the 

 beauty of the flower-garden depends on the manner in 

 which these operations are performed. The prevalent 

 error consists in overdoing the thing, in employing too 

 stout and too long rods or props, and too many thick 

 tufty, branches, instead of sucli as are free-grown and 

 open. Watering must be liberally applied to almost 

 every part of the flower-garden during summer, and in 

 the evening; it increases the progress, and enlarges the 

 parts of all vegetables; gives a fresh appearance to 

 the soil as well as the plants, disperses their odours in 

 the suiTounding atmosphere, and tends to subdue various 

 kinds of insects. Ahvays water in the evening, as it 

 has time to sink into the earth, and be imbibed by the 

 flowers during the night. If it is done in the morning, 

 the sun comes and drinks up the moisture before the 

 plants derive any benefit, and the labour and water are 

 thrown away. 



The cutting off Jlower-stnlks^ decaying Jlozvers, leaves, 

 8/c, is to be done in most cases immediately after the 

 flowers are faded ; but tliere are exceptions where the 

 leaves on the lower part of flower-stems may be requi- 

 site to strengthen the root, and where, as in the case of 

 stipa, some convallarias, eringoes, &c. the parts of the 

 flower are persisting, or the fruit or seed pods are ob- 

 jects of beauty. The leaves of bulbous-rooted plants, 

 and such others as are not prolific in foliage, should be 

 carefully preserved till they have begun to decay; and, 

 indeed, the base or rooted leaves of no plant whatever 

 should be cut off till this is the case, unless for some 

 particular object. Every single flow^er, as soon as the 

 petals begin to droop, should be pinched ofl", and espe- 

 cially every flower of the double kind. Every rose, 

 when it begins to droop, should be dipt off near to the 

 foot-stalk of the one w4iich is about to succeed it; and 

 when the last of the corymb has done flowering, then 

 the common foot-stalk should be cut off back to the first 



