LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 15 



one of the cheapest and most effective background features for a 

 flower garden imaginable. Make the ground deep' and rich with 

 abundance of well rotted cow-dung. 



Herbaceous Plants. — Hardj herbaceous plants should be trans- 

 planted as early as the ground can be worked freely. After 

 planting, cover the crowns with an inch or two of leaf mold or 

 chip dirt, as it will greatly assist them in resisting the freezing 

 and thawing until the full opening of spring. In digging over 

 beds of herbaceous ■ plants, be careful, as many plants like 

 peonias, campanulas, etc., are often destroyed by spading or 

 forking, and thus destroying their crowns ere they have shown 

 their buds above ground. It is always well to be in time ; but 

 better wait a day or two more rather than dig, until each plant 

 can be distinctly traced in its position. 



Herbaceous Plants, as soon as they have done flowering, may 

 be easily propagated by cuttings. These should be planted in a 

 cold frame in a mixture of sand and loam, and kept shaded 

 until roots have formed. 



Hardy Annuals. — la selecting varieties of hardy annuals, seek 

 rather a few of those that bloom freely and grow vigorously, 

 than to make your collection one of varieties. Very little 

 satisfactory effect can be obtained from a great variety, many of 

 them possessing no distinctive character of color, however pretty 

 and curious they may be to the botanist. Large masses of a few 

 sorts and of distinct colors, white, crimson, etc., such as candy- 

 tufts, phlox-Drummondi, etc., will give, are very effective either 

 in small gardens or on extensive lawns. 



Bedding Plants require special attention to pinching and 

 pegging, for on this depends greatly the beauty of display as the 

 plants come into bloom. 



A Bed of lAlies. — By all means plant out a bed of Japan lilies.. 

 Select, if you can, a position where when they come into flower 

 you will have to look up rather than down to see the flower ; 

 make the ground two feet or more deep, working into it plenty 

 of well-rotted compost manure ; then get the varieties of lily in 

 aU their numbers; plant them at distances of about one foot 



