42 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



plants a snnny border near a hot wall answers admirably, 

 as the heat reflected from the wall, together with the dry- 

 jiess of the soil, will favour the ahundant flowering for 

 which the plant is famous when growing to its own liking. 

 Wlien raised from spring-struck cutlings, the scarlet 

 sage will often make a free growth in the open ground, and 

 show not a single flower to justify the little care it requires. 

 In this case the possessor of the plant may still be as happy 

 and hopeful as he that fights and runs away, for the triumph 

 is but delayed, and may with proper courage be still com- 

 manded. Some time in September the flowerless plants 

 should be carefully lifted so as to keep as much earth about 

 their roots as jxissible, and be put into smallish pots — 

 smallish as compared with the size of the plants, but not 

 so small as to necessitate any severe injury to the roots. 

 The soil used in fllling in to make them firm in the pots 

 sho\dd be poor sandy stuff, the fresher the better, but there 

 is no manure needed. The roots must be kept only mode- 

 rately moist, and the tops should be moistened with a 

 shower from the syringe twice a day ; the home of the 

 plants must be a shady place in a warm greenhouse. In 

 the coiu'se of a few days after being jiolted, they will hold 

 11]) their heads and look well, and may then be put in the 

 full light, and have water regularly, but should never be 

 very wet at the root. There must be no pruning of any 

 kind; not even a leaf should lie injured exce|)t bv unavoid- 

 able accident. All this is very simple, bat it is none the 

 less important. In the course of Novenilier the tlowers will 

 appear, and if the house is kept warm and the plants are 

 near the glass, there will be a beautifid display for fully two 

 months : say until the turn of the year, and then some other 

 species of salvia may lie at command. 



