26 A LITTLE BOOK OF PERENNIALS 



destroyed. However, small sinj^le-eye divisions may be set about a 

 foot apart to form a good sized clump, in which case the plants usually 

 present the same appearance as before, except that the flowers will be 

 larger. 



LAYERS 



A modification of dividing perennials is to prepare them for division < 

 by covering the plants with sandy soil or clean sand. It is not neces- 

 sary to bury the plants, but merely fill in between the spaces where 

 the branches have become long, traihng and leggy. We have in mind 

 especially the Grass Pinks, Sweet William, Campanula carpatica and 

 Arabis. 



CUTTINGS 



Few amateur gardeners avail themselves of a method of increasing 

 perennials by cuttings. When certain of the plants are 6 inches or 

 8 inches tall, the tops may be cut out and placed in a box of sand to 

 root. Gutting back the plants in this way is not usually detrimental 

 to them but causes branching. Care need be exercised that there are 

 several eyes below the cut so that the parent plant can continue its 

 growth. The easiest sorts that may be grown in this way are: 



Arabis (Rock Cress) Hollyhock 



AscLEPiAS (Butterfly Weed) Iberis (Candytuft) 



Gerastium (Snow-on-the-Moun- Lobelia 



gSanthemum Lythrum (Loosestrife) 



Clematis (Virgin's Bower) Perennial Sunflower 



Dahlia Phlox 



Delphinium Pinks 



Helenium (Helen's Flower) Potentilla (Five Finger) 



