PREPARING PLANTS FOR FLOWER GARDENS. 



199 



Both rooted cuttings and thickly planted divisions ought to have the benefit of 

 additional preparation for the flower garden. Directly they are strongly rooted, and 

 before they crowd and weaken each other, lot them be transplanted in nursery beds. 

 It will be an advantage to arrange all, whether large or small, in lines from 10 to 12 

 inches apart, to allow space for a free use of the Dutch hoe, this doing good service in 

 keeping down weeds and preventing the surface of the ground cracking. The distances 

 apart in the rows may be governed by the size of the plants and their known habit 

 of growth. For instance, daisies may be disposed from 5 to inches asunder, but 

 hellebores and strong growers generally need twice that space. The important work 



Fig. 96. Coeeect Methods. 

 e, Cutting properly inserted ; f, result ; </, rooted slip rightly inserted ; h, result. 



of transplanting ought to be done as much as possible in dull showery weather ; all 

 should be firmly fixed in their positions, little, if any parts of the stems showing above 

 the soil, and there must be no neglect in giving water when it is required. A mulch 

 of leaf soil, or well-decayed manure, would not be wasted on spring flowering and 

 other plants in their summer quarters. 



BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS-ROOTED PLANTS. 



Spring flowering bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants are seen to great advantage 

 in flower-beds, and Avherc a brilliant early display is desired are indispensable. 

 Properly planted they are not injured by the severest frosts and the majority are at 

 their best at a time of the year when few or no other flowers arc to be seen. Many 



