GARDENING BY M YSELF. § 5 



proudly-set blossoms, will give you a clump 

 of most unworthy descendants. I believe 

 this is even more true of hyacinths than of 

 tulips. Besides, if they are left in the mixed 

 flower beds all summer, they run much risk 

 of being cut or injured by the planting of 

 other things and the dressing of the ground. 

 You cannot tell just where they are, and 

 you cannot have a regiment of tall sticks to 

 point them out. And labels standing alone 

 are only pleasant in spring, when your beds 

 are all promise. 



Two ways I have seen described for mak- 

 ing verbena beds, — both good, I suspect; 

 certainly both worth trying. The first 

 comes backed with a florist's authority : " To 

 grow verbenas successfully, plant them in 

 beds cut in the turf Chop the turf well, 

 and thoroughly mix with it a good share 

 of well-decomposed stable manure ; never 

 on any account plant them in old and worn- 

 out garden soil, as they will most assuredly 

 fail. Give them a change of soil each sea- 

 son, as they do not thrive well two years in 

 8 



