338 LECTURE ON SPRING FLOWERS. 



the following spring. The Alpine Auricula, the Poly- 

 anthus, the Primrose, and the Pansy may be treated in the 

 same way, the last-mentioned succeeding admirably from 

 cuttings also. 



There are some beautiful varieties of Pansy in use at 

 the gardens at Cliveden, the seat of the Duchess of 

 Sutherland, of various clear and decided colours, which 

 are invaluable as spring flowers on account of their hardy 

 nature and profusion of bloom. Nowhere has spring 

 gardening been carried out with so much spirit, persever- 

 ance, and success as in the extensive and beautiful gardens 

 just alluded to, where, under the able management of Mr 

 Fleming, the usual gay scenes of summer, with their odori- 

 ferous accompaniments, are realised in early spring. Mr 

 Fleming's admirable little book, " Spring and Winter 

 Gardening," in which his practice is clearly and pleasingly 

 detailed, and of which I am informed a new and enlarged 

 edition will shortly appear, is well worthy of study by those 

 who may wish to enrich their gardens with fresh stores of 

 spring flowers. 



Again, hardy annuals, which are usually sown in 

 spring to flower in summer, may be sown in autumn to 

 flower in spring. A host of valuable spring flowers is 

 derivable from this source at a small cost of money and 

 labour. Candytuft, Catchfly, Erysimum, Gilia, Nemophila, 

 Saponaria, and Virginian Stock are amongst the hardiest 

 and best for this purpose, but the number and variety 

 may be considerably increased and extended. These may 

 be sown in August where intended to flower, or if the 

 soil is loose or the situation damp, such conditions being 

 unfavourable to their preservation during winter, it were 

 better to sow on solid soil in a moderately dry place, and 

 transplant the seedlings early in spring. Wallflowers and 

 other biennials should be sown in July. 



The plants we have spoken of hitherto are of lowly 

 growth, but the most effective of spring flowers are found 

 among hardy ornamental trees and shrubs. We have 



