VII. LIST OF FLOWERS. 



takes place. Do nothing after you have planted (except 

 rake a little now-and-then) till winter, and then, when 

 you expect frosts such as would penetrate two or three 

 inches, or so, bring forth your straw, or whatever else 

 you have, and cover over the whole bed effectually, ex- 

 cepting at times when you are pretty certain of no frost. 

 When the season for frosts be over, of course you re- 

 move all paraphernalia for guarding against that element ; 

 but you then have others : cold winds, snows, and even 

 quickly after these, the sun itself. Therefore, as soon as 

 you have removed the straw, place hoops across the bed, 

 or a frame of wood consisting of upright stakes driven 

 into the ground, with bending cross-pieces going over 

 from one to the other, in the fashion of a bedstead -, and 

 on these throw canvass, or other light stuff, when either 

 cold winds or snows prevail, or, (when the plants are in 

 blossom) when the sun shines out too much on them. 

 The flowers will appear in March and April, and, though 

 the plant is hardy, and even its flowers care not for snow 

 or frost, yet, if you permit the sun to come and thaw this 

 on them, they will not last half the time that they would 

 otherwise do. When the plants are in blossom, such as 

 have not strong stalks should have small sticks put in on 

 the side of them, to which these stalks should be tied. 

 Such plants as are destined to bear seed should be left to 

 have the full influence of the sun, and should remain in 

 the bed till the seed-pod turns quite yellow, and begins 

 to split j but those that are not to bear seed, should be 

 taken up as soon as their leaves turn yellow. Choose a 

 dry day, and take them up cautiously, so as not to damage 

 their offsets j then lay them pretty close to one another, 

 jcn the bed, and cover them over with earth to an inch 



