CATALOGUE OP PLAS^TS. 
cultivate the plant for oue or two seasous before its flowers appear, is some- 
thiuf; that xery few will do. 
Fashiou has much to do with gardeumg, and fashion lias of late years been 
m favor of other plants. It is a siusular fact that the older herbaceous 
plants arc more common in the newer Western States than they arc in the 
older states of the Kast. Those who, many years ago, followed the injunc- 
tion to go \\ est," and went as pioneers, took with them bits of the plants 
that were dear to them in the home garden, aud these bave been kept up in 
the \\estern States, while in the older States they have been gradually pushed 
aside by new and for the time fashionable i>lanU, while the older kinds have 
an many cases disappeared from the gardens. 
THE CULTIYATIOK OF HERBACEOrS PERENNIALS 
is exceedingly simple. As a genci-al thing those plants will grow whcro 
any plants wiU. All that they require is a good garden soil— a warm and 
Ughfc one bemg generally better than a cold and hcayy soU. It is useless to 
expect these or any other plants to succeed in a wet, undraiued soil. As tlio 
plants arc to rt-maiu for several years in one place, tlie soil should be fairly 
rich, and if not so, should have liuo manure carefully forked in each spring. 
PLAN-TrN-G.— The position of the plant will be Roveraed by its hight and 
habit of growtli, botb o£ which arc mentioned In the description. Low- 
growing kinds must not be hidden by the taller ones. As a general rule, tho 
taller the plant, the farther it should bo set from the edge of the bed. Aa 
the plants wUl spread with more or less raj.idilv, sufficient room should bo 
allowed. In setting tho plants, do not merely dig a hole largo cuongh to 
receive them, but break up and mellow the soil for a spade's depth. Spread 
the roots Avell, so that none will remain iu a dense mass, and work the soil 
well in among them, taking euro that no hollow places are left. 
SrxniEn CcxxmE. — All that is required is such stirring of the soil with 
tho hoe and rake as will keep the weeds down and the surface light aud open. 
A steel rake, with long and tiliai-p teeth, is mott useful for this purpose. 
Tall-growing kinds should be supported by stakes, to prevent Ihfni from being 
blown ovt-r ; these should bo hidden as much as possible by tlic foliage. As 
a general thing, these plants, when well establislicd, suiTer less from drouth 
thau others, but In a very dry lime fhoy should be watered, it necosfary. As 
tho flowers pass their prime the flowering stems should bo cut away, not only 
as a matter of neatness, but to prevent tho \)\mi from exhausting itself in 
perfccthiff seeds. Of course, If seeds arc wanted, a sutfleient number of 
stems should be left to produce them. 
"WiNTKn Treatmrnt.— All tho plants offered ore hnrtly in the climato of 
New York City, and are likely to bo so, unless slnttd to the contrary, through- 
out the Northern States ; yet these and oMier hurdy plants are benefited by a 
Blight covering during the winter. Tliis may be straw, marsh or bog-lmy, 
or other litter, thro^vn on after the ground lias bepm to freeze, mile not 
absolutely necessary, this winter covering protects the plants from the eOcctB 
of alternate freezing and thawinir, and Ihev bloom the elrongor for it- /Ijio 
practice of coverinc; the beds with coarse mannre in the fall, raking off tho 
Inter In spring, and forking in the flne manure, is ohjeclionablo on account 
of tho weed-seeds thus introduced. 
DrvisiOK AND Replajjtino.— The hcrbaeeons perennials, if the clumps do 
not become so inconvenientlv large as to need division, will after a while re- 
quire removal, beeaufle (hey have exhausted the soil Immediately around 
ttiem. Some require this in tliree years, while others may be left for five or 
more years. Of course, whenever the elnmps arc too large, thoy should bo 
divided, and when a lack of vigor, and decrease of flowers show thot they 
