GARDENING BY M YSELF. 5 7 



enough to freeze this mucilage, it swells out, 

 of course, as you know liquids do in freez- 

 ing, and bursts through the thin walls of the 

 cell. And if this once happens, the plant — or 

 that part of it — is dead beyond recovery. But 

 hardy plants have stronger tissues, and the 

 frost does them no harm ; except perhaps 

 to a new shoot here and there whi.ch we 

 call "imperfectly ripened," — not having yet 

 attained the full thickness of its tissues. Do 

 you see now, how if your seedlings are sent 

 straight from the stove to the garden, their 

 tissues are too tender to stand anything? 

 Whereas, by careful hardening, the walls of 

 the cells will have grown thick and strong, 

 and the plants may be set out with little 

 danger. 



A grave question comes up in many minds 

 at this time of year, as to the best arrange- 

 ment of flower beds, — a nice question, too ; 

 having much to do with the results so gleeful- 

 ly expected from our little packets of seed. 

 Yet I do not want to give much real advice 

 on the subject. It is well enough to study 



