6o ALPINE FLOWERS. Part I. 



In this way we not only raise the collar of the plant so that it 

 is less liable to suffer from moisture, but, by preventing evapora- 

 tion, preserve conditions much more congenial to alpine plants, 

 and keep the roots firm in the ground ; besides, the small plants 

 look more at home springing from and spreading over their 

 httle rocks. It should, however, be distinctly understood that no 

 such attention is required by the great majority of alpine plants. 



No matter in what way these plants may be grown in gar- 

 dens, it is desirable to keep the duplicates and young stock in 

 small pots plunged in sand or fine coal-ashes, so that they may 

 be carefully removed to the rockwork, or sent away at any time. 

 The best way of doing this is shown in Fig. 43, representing a 



Fig. 43- — Bed of small alpine plants in pots plunged in sand. 



four-foot bed in which young alpine plants are plunged in sand 

 the bed being edged with half-buried bricks. In bottoms 

 of beds of this kind there should be half a dozen inches of coal- 

 ashes, so as to prevent worms getting into the pots, in which 

 they always prove very injurious. Sand, or grit, or fine gravel, 

 from its cleanliness and the ease with which the plants may be 

 plunged in it, is to be preferred, but finely sifted coal-ashes will 

 do if sand cannot be spared for this purpose. 



Such beds should always be in the full sun, near to a good 

 supply of water, and, if several or many are made, should be 

 separated by gravelled alleys of about two feet wide. The 

 watering is very important. In a large nursery it should be laid 

 on and given with a fine hose. This certainly is the most con- 

 venient and economical way. Over some of the beds in Mr. 

 Backhouse's nursery at York may be seen an ingenious way of 



