Subsequent Care 185 



the individual plants will become matted into a thick 

 mass, and the center will gradually cease to bloom; 

 some of the rhizomes will become starved (page 118), 

 and the oldest ones will dry up, wither away, not from 

 disease but from exhaustion. 



The crowded roots demand enlargement now 

 And transplantation in an ampler space. 



Cow per: The Task. 



When this condition exists, if it is not convenient 

 to transplant the ground should be enriched, in the 

 spring, with a top dressing of bone meal. If the 

 same spot is to be used for replanting it will usually 

 be well to first add to the soil a little bone meal. 



Well must the ground be digg'd and better dress'd 

 New soil to make, and meliorate the rest. 



Virgil: Georgic II (Dry den'' s tr.). 



Unless many plants are desired the divisions should 

 not be made very small, or there will be but few 

 flowers the first season. Two or three branches or 

 joints to a division, each with a cluster of leaves 

 attached, will usually be found to be most satisfactory. 

 The whole clump may be taken up, divided, and, 

 discarding any old dried up or decayed parts, reset 



