THE JOYOUS AET OF GARDENING 



One of the plants which not only may be divided but in- 

 deed must be divided if it is to retain its perfect health and 

 vigor is perennial phlox; this should be divided every three 

 years. 



It is done in a very summary manner. Dig up a clump 

 with a sharp spade. If you cannot disentangle the roots readily, 

 cut the clump into pieces about as large as a man's hand. 

 Each section should have plenty of roots and five or six stalks. 

 Cut off the stalks and leaves and plant each section separately 

 in the garden-beds. Put a little manure in the bottom of the 

 hole, then a Kttle soil, then the plant: fill in with soil carefully, 

 press firmly, water well, and the thing is done. An old hand 

 will accompUsh the whole work with a spade in a very short 

 time. Phlox may be divided quite as well in October, but 

 September is better, because there will then be a few blossoms 

 left as color labels, and one can weed out the magenta — ^that 

 pariah among colors — and cast it without the gates. 



There are other plants which, although division is not 

 necessary to their health, may be made into twins and triplets 

 in this simple and practical fashion. Among these are the 

 German and Japanese iris, the funkia, or day-lily (of which 

 only a strong, healthy clump should be divided, and each 

 portion should contain several crowns), and the yellow day- 

 lily {Hemerocdlis). 



How TO Plant Bulbs 



For planting in the open, the garden rule of four times the 

 depth holds good for bulbs, and they should be set about as 

 many inches apart as the bulb is deep. Most bulbs hate direct 

 contact with manure; therefore, it is safer to put in a handful 

 of sand when planting and set each bulb on this as on a cushion. 



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