348 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



and never seen only in the grounds of the true lover of ele- 

 gant flowers. These are the Hepaticas (Anemone), Gentians, 

 Epimediums, Violets, Fair Maids of France (Ranunculus), 

 Double Primroses, Betonicas, &c., and our own native plants, 

 Asclepias tuberosa, Trilliums, Dodecatheons, Spigelia, Ane- 

 mone thalictroides, Cypripediums, &c. &c. All or any of 

 these, added to the more popular and familiar kinds, render 

 the garden doubly attractive, opening their blossoms from the 

 disappearance of snow, till it covers the ground again in 

 winter. 



It is not our purpose to give a list here of all the fine her- 

 baceous plants which may now be obtained. They may be 

 counted by the hundred, and of those which have been 

 elevated to the florist's standard, like the Phlox, Hollyhock, 

 Campanula, &c., in a great number of varieties. The cata- 

 logue of any choice collection will give the names of the 

 best. What we desire is to have every individual, who is 

 about planting a garden, and indeed every amateur who 

 already possesses one, to consider how varied are the objects 

 that are within his reach, and knowing what they are, his 

 grounds may not be a mere batch of bedding plants, such as 

 he sees all around him, but, protesting against fashion, strive to 

 have them enamelled at all seasons with flowers of every hue. 

 Let the garden be, as it easily may, what the poet de- 

 scribes it : — 



" From sapling trees, with lucid foliage crowned, 



Gay lights and shadows trembled on the ground ; 



Up the tall stems luxuriant creepers run, 



To hang their silver blossoms in the sun ; 



Deep velvet verdure clad the turf beneath, 



Where trodden flowers their richest odor breathe ; 



O'er all, the bees with murmuring music flew 



From bell to bell to sip the honeyed dew." 



We close with a few hints as to their cultivation. Herba- 

 ceous plants, in general, are of the simplest treatment. Most 

 of them will grow in any common garden soil, slightly en- 

 riched by old manure, or, what is better, leaf mould. Every 

 two years they should be taken up, carefully divided and 

 reset ; such quick-growing sorts as Phloxes, Asters, Rudbeckias, 



