THE MANSE GARDEN. 225 



has learned to anticipate its disasters by flowering in 

 August; and there are few garden ornaments that 

 present so much beauty for so long a period. The 

 root is as bulky as the largest crab with all its claws, 

 the stalks and blossoms occupy a yard square. This 

 is enough to suggest the rules of planting; but the 

 plant is not the worse of being a little confined say 

 three feet by two in the rows. Select specimens 

 should be so arranged in the bed as to give diversity 

 and contrast of colour. Single plants at intervals 

 amongst shrubs have a fine effect. A few having 

 only single flowers are worthy of being preserved, 

 but the double may be found in almost infinite variety, 

 and possessed of the utmost beauty of colour and 

 form. Seed yields new varieties, and the plant is 

 also propagated "by parting the roots, taking care that 

 each section have a portion of last year's stem ; for 

 it is around the foot of the stem that the next bud 

 appears. Plants may also be reared from slips. In 

 May the young shoots are set in flowerpots filled with 

 sand and well rotted manure. The pots must be 

 placed in a covered frame or under a handglass, and 

 must be well shaded and watered, admitting air on 

 the first symptoms of new life. The following is a 

 list of the most celebrated varieties now cultivated : 



Acme white, edged with crimson. 



Adelaide white, edged with pink, 



Agrippina white, tinted with rose. 



Amanda rosy lilac. 



Apollo scarlet, with cupped petals. 



Ariel white and lilac. 



Augusta shaded purple. 



Black Prince crimson, with black stripes. 



Bronze fine form. 



K2 



