96 EECOKD OF HORTICULTURE. 



dantly than if left exposed. A simple and very efficient 

 method is as follows : In the fall, just before the ground 

 freezes, take the plants down and coil them around the 

 base of the stakes, then throw on three or four inches in 

 depth of coarse litter, such as straw or leaves, and over 

 the whole place a few shovelsful of soil. The plants 

 should be uncovered in the spring, soon after the frost is 

 entirely out of the ground. It is but a few hotirs' work to 

 protect in this manner a large number of plants, and the 

 increase in the number of flowers will amply repay one for 

 th^ trouble. 



PROPAGATION. 



To procure new varieties, as well as to multiply partic- 

 lar species, we resort to seedlings. The seeds should be 

 S0A\n soon after they are ripe, either in boxes of soil or in 

 the open ground. As a general thing they will not germ- 

 inate until the second season, therefore it is a good plan to 

 mix them in boxes of sand, and bury in some out-of-the-way 

 place until the next autumn, then sow where they are 

 wanted. The next spring they will usually come up and 

 grow rapidly. Protect the seedling the same as old plants, 

 and transplant in spring if they are likely to be too much 

 crowded by remaining in the seed bed. 



PROPAGATING BY LAYERS. 



Select a strong and vigorous shoot at the time it is 

 making its mo^t rapid growth in summer; bend it down 

 and cover a portion of the lower end with soil, over which 

 place mulch; and if the weather should prove dry, give the 

 soil occasionally a good soaking with water. These layers 



