126 OA RDENING BY M YSELF. 



seems — at first sight — so harsh. Cut back 

 the roses? pinch out the balsam's leading 

 shoot? insist that your ipomeas shall climb 

 at your pleasure, instead of wandering aim- 

 lessly about? Ay, — and a few weeks will 

 shew why ; in the abundant colours and the 

 richer green, in the close, compact, working 

 growth. A few weeks for the flowers ; but 

 with us it is a few years. Even so. 



" Every branch that beareth not fruit he 

 taketh away, and every branch that beareth 

 fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth 

 more fruit." 



Among the hardy perennial flowers, there 

 are many lovely, old-fashioned kinds, well 

 worth the having — if you can get them. 

 Spiderwort, with its deep blue eyes ; and 

 ragged robin, with its funny fresh look of 

 inconsequence, daffodils and rocket for the 

 early spring; and periwinkle and money- 

 wort to carpet any bare spot of ground ; 

 and lilies of the valley, and Solomon's seal, 

 — with a host more. Some of them you 

 will find in the florist's catalogue ; a few in 



