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GARDENING BY MYSELF. 



or dead, — two snowdrops up, and the third 

 refusing to follow; or one crocus in bud, 

 and the other quite past its prime. If they are 

 in separate pots, the failures can be remov- 

 ed, and the rest closed in to hide the blank. 

 Even for a great window-box I think I 

 should put all the bulbs in pots. But of 

 course that is a matter of fancy. 



If you have no good place in the house 

 for your bulbs at first, set a large box or 

 open frame in the garden, on a dry walk or 

 a bed of coal ashes, place your pots on this, 

 and fill in between them with coal ashes or 

 tan. Then cover the frame with boards, or 

 spread several inches of dry leaves, sand, or 

 tan over the pots. Frost will not reach 

 them for a long time here, and in ordinary 

 seasons they need not be stirred before the 

 middle of November. 



If you are impatient, and set jour bulbs 

 at once in the light, insisting that they 

 should enact Young America, and bloom 

 before taking root, do you know what you 

 will have ? Something about as valuable as 



