The Making and Care of an Old-Fashioned Hardy Border—Coxtinued 
Winter Care.—About the middle of November or later, 
when all the soft growth has been killed by the frost and the plants 
are thoroughly ripened, the old hard-wooded stems should be re- 
moved and burnt up. It will then be found beneficial to cover 
the plants with a topdressing of loose stable litter, or, if this is not 
to be had, a covering of leaves—Nature’s protection. This 
covering is best applied when the ground is in a dry condition, 
and should not be overdone; two or three inches spread over 
loosely being all that is required. A deeper covering would 
incite the plants into premature growth in the early spring, with 
a liability of damage by late frost; don’t be in a hurry to cover 
the plants, a little frost will do them good. Asthe extreme cold 
weather begins to disappear this covering should be removed by 
degrees, allowing any young growths which the plants may have 
made to gradually harden off. This process usually occupies 
only a few days, after which the plants may be fully exposed to 
the sunshine, and the litter or 
covering which has protected 
them during the winter may be 
raked up and removed. 
Replanting.—It is all non- 
sense to suppose that Hardy 
Perennials once planted require 
no attention for several years. 
The truth is, if we wish them 
to give entire satisfaction, we 
must each spring see that each 
variety is treated in the best 
manner to insure its fullest de- 
velopment during the next 
flowering season. Many ideas 
are advanced on the question ot 
how often they ought to be di- 
vided and transplanted, but no 
positive rule can be applied. 
Some sorts will take two or 
three years, or even longer, to 
get established and develop their 
fullest beauty after being trans- 
planted, and usually the longer 
they are allowed to go with- 
out disturbance the better re- 
sults will be accomplished, while 
others should be transplanted or 
reset each season. 
Most hardy plants which 
flower during the spring or early 
summer months, such as An- 
thericum, Pzonies, Doronicum, 
Dielytras, etc., produce their 
new growth from the crown of 
close compact roots and are 
An Errrctive Harpy BorDER 
better if left undivided and undisturbed for several years, the only 
care necessary for these being a liberai covering with fresh soil or 
compost early inspring. The late summer and autumn blooming 
species are usually of a more vigorous growth. Such sorts as He- 
-lianthus, Rudbeckias, Asters, Boltonias, Physostegias, etc., on 
which the original crowns die out each season and many new 
side growths are made, are far better if replanted each season, 
selecting from three to five of the strongest growths, which, after 
the ground has been redug and enriched may be reset in the 
same position or replanted to another section of the garden. 
Treated in this manner, they will not only produce flowers of 
larger size and finer colors, but will keep the stronger and more 
rampart growing varieties from crowding out their equally in- 
teresting but less vigorous neighbors. 
Many not thoroughly familiar with this class of plants have 
an idea that nothing but a large field-grown clump will give satis- 
factory returns the first season. 
This, as experience has taught 
us, is in most instances a mis- 
take. A vigorousplant of proper 
size will, in nearly every case, 
give quicker and better returns 
than the best so-called ‘<field 
clumps.’’ The majority of the 
stock offered in this catalogue 
is pot-grown. This does not 
mean that the plants have been 
altogether pot-grown, but that 
they have been field-grown and 
dug and potted up during the 
fall months, and such stock can 
be planted even late in the 
spring, with practically no loss, 
which, in the case of clumps, is 
often quite serious. The follow- 
ing letter from the well-known 
and successful amateur, W. C. 
Egan, endorses our views on this 
matter. 
EGANDALE, ILL. 
GENTLEMEN—Your shipment 
of perennials arrived safely to- 
day in most excellent order. It 
certainly is a pleasure, as well 
as a profit, to receive plants from 
you. Your system of growing 
these in pots allows shipment 
without disturbing the roots, 
thus insuring uninterrupted 
growth and no loss in planting. 
Respectfully yours, 
W. C. Ecan. 
pe 
Dreer’s Collections of Hardy Perennial Plants 
The list of Hardy Perennial plants which we offer in our garden book is admitted to be the most complete and up-to-date col- 
lection in this country, and we are continually adding to our list all the new, rare and desirable sorts, both of home and foreign 
introduction, 
We offer customers who are not acquainted with the different sorts the following collections, all in good, strong roots, which once 
planted, will, with little care, keep the garden gay with flowers from the time frost leaves the ground until late in the autumn, 
12 distinct species, our selection..................... 
95 “ ee ce “ 
$2 00 
4 00 
50 distinct species and varieties, our selection......... 
100 ce “ce ce ce ce ce 
$7 00 
Dreer’s Special Catalogue of 
Old-fashioned Wardy Plants. 
While we are not in the landscape business and cannot undertake the preparation of plans for planting or laying 
out of grounds, we have had prepared by a competent landscape architect a series of plans of hardy borders with a list of suitable 
plants for positions either in sun or shade. 
These are included in the above special catalogue, which also contains a complete alphabetical list of all the hardy plants we 
grow, together with their color, height, time of flowering, and location best suited to each. 
tively easy for even a novice to make a selection to fill a bed or border of any size or shape without making a serious blunder. 
Copies of this Special Catalogue will be sent free on application. 
(196) 
This list should make it compara- 
