1 68 GARDENING BY AI YSELF. 



red and yellow. I think names are a great 

 institution, myself, if they do cost a little. 



But here, as with the seeds, you need a 

 catalogue. There is so much more pleasure 

 in choosing for oneself, than in taking any- 

 body else's selection. You can get rather 

 more for the money by leaving it all to your 

 florist ; but you lose the fun — and fun is a 

 great thing. And there is even less danger 

 of mistakes among the bulbs than among 

 the seeds ; for there are few difficult ones, 

 and almost no shy bloomers. Bulbs expect 

 to do their duty and make a show, under all 

 circumstances. 



The catalogues of seeds and roots for fall 

 planting are just beginning to come out. 

 Mr. Vick's is already in hand ; and is about 

 as bewildering (for its size) as his list of 

 seeds. The first thing then, is to clear up 

 and arrange your own ideas. Read over 

 the catalogue till you are tolerably familiar 

 with its contents, — till '* blush white," and 

 *' pure white," and '' dark blue," and " por- 

 celain blue," and " rose," and " red," begin 



