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ladies' flower gardener. 



auriculas, &c, which do not bear the heavy rains, or frosts of 

 lengthened duration, without injuring the plant. 



Flowers are divided into three classes : — annuals, biennials, 

 and perennials. 



Annuals are those flowers which are raised from seeds alone, in 

 the spring, and which die in the autumn. They are again divi- 

 ded into three classes : — the tender and more curious kinds ; the 

 less tender or hardier kinds ; and the hardiest and common kinds. 



Biennials are those flowers which are produced by seed, bloom 

 the second year, and remain two years in perfection, after which 

 they gradually dwindle and die away. 



Some sorts, however, of the biennials, afford a continuation of 

 plants by offsets, slips, and cuttings of the tops, and by layers 

 and pipings, so that, though the parent flower dies, the species 

 are perpetuated, particularly to continue curious double-flowered 

 kinds, as for instance, double rockets, by root offsets, and cuttings 

 of the young flower-stalks ; double wallflowers by slips of the 

 small top shoots ; double sweet-williams by layers and pipings ; 

 and carnations by layers. 



Perennials are those flowers which continue many years, and 

 are propagated by root offsets, suckers, parting roots, &c, as 

 will be more fully particularised under the head of Perennials. 



It has been a debated point among florists whether plots or 

 baskets should be devoted each to a particular variety of flower, 

 or receive flowers of different kinds, flowering at separate seasons. 

 Thus, many ladies set apart one plot of ground for anemones only 

 — another plot receives only pansies, and so on. There is much 

 to be said on both sides the question. 



If a plot of ground is devoted to one variety of flower only, 

 you can give it the appropriate mould, and amuse your eye with 

 its expanse of bright coloring. Nothing is more beautiful than 

 a bed of pansies, or a bed of the bright and glowing scarlet ver- 



