854 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



planted to the places where they are to stand. Balsams, 

 larkspurs, poppies, and, indeed, most flowers do better by 

 being transplanted. The operation checks the luxuriance 

 of the plant, and increases its tendency to flower. 



Sometimes seeds are planted where they are to remain; 

 the treatment is precisely the same as before, except they 

 are thinned out instead of transplanted. No mistake is 

 more frequent, among inexperienced gardeners, than that 

 of suffering too many plants to stand together. One is re- 

 luctant to pull up fine thriving plants ; or he does not reflect 

 that what may seem room enough while the plant is young, 

 will be very scanty when it is grown. 



There is much taste to be displayed in arranging flowers 

 in a garden so that proper colors shall be contrasted. ^ It is 

 important that proper colors should be matched in a gar- 

 den, as on a dress. 



PARLOR-PLANTS AND FLOWERS IN WINTER. 



The treatment of house plants is very little understood, 

 although the practice of keeping shrubs and flowers during 

 the winter is almost xmiversal. It is important that the 

 physiological principles on which success depends should 

 be familiarly understood; and then cultivators can apply 

 them with success in all the varying circumstances in which 

 they may be called to act. 



Two objects are proposed in taking plants into the house 

 •7-either simple protection, or the development of their 

 foliage and flowers, during the winter. The same treat- 

 ment will not do for both objects. Indeed, the greatest 

 number of persons of our acquaintance, treat their winter 

 plants, from which they desire flowers, as if they only 

 wished to preserve them till spring ; and the consequence 

 is, that they have very Uttle enjoyment in their favorites. 



