perennials before working the soil. Bone meal is about the 
only thing that can safely be worked into a thickly planted 
border and herein lies the advantage of a well-made, richly 
fertilized bed. Too early stirring of the soil is fatal to the sleepy 
ones of the garden — the Hardy Ageratum (Eupatorium 
Coelestinum), the Blue Salvia (Salvia Azurea), the Japanese 
Anemone, the Chinese Bell Flower (Platycoclon) , False Indigo 
(Baptistia Australis), Plumbago, Blue Spirea (Caryopteris 
Mastacanthus),-man.y Lilies and Mallows. Some of these, like 
the self-seeding Poppies, Flax and Larkspur, are better grown 
in a bed by themselves where they can rest undisturbed by the 
energetic hoe and lively spade of April's first efforts. A 
judicious planting of Fritillaria, Crocus and early Daffodils will 
give color while these lazy plants are rousing, dying down later. 
Separating Early spring is the time to separate Asters, Chrysanthemums, 
Plants Phlox, late Veronica, Sedum spectobile, Heliums and with a 
stern hand to root up and cast away those spreading up-starts, 
Lysmachia, Physostegia, Sundrops, Spireas and Veronicas. If 
you begin early enough, Bleeding Heart, Miss Lingard Phlox 
and even Iris can be shifted with due attention to showers. 
Bulbs As soon as the bulbs begin to appear you will notice that 
the earth very often seems caked and pushed up around the 
clumps. This is true particularly of the Daffodils which 
multiply so rapidly that while the old strong bulbs in the center 
lift the soil, there are often half a dozen young and weaker ones 
struggling beside it to push up a heavy cake of hard earth. It 
pays to break this up and so have straight broad leaves instead 
of crooked narrow ones that have struggled to the surface and 
light under difficulties. Very often your Tulips will come 
"blind." This is the result of too deep planting and means 
that the Tulip should be re-set. Sometimes the bud may be 
blasted. This may be caused by the melting of late snow and 
the freezing of the bud. If you have a small garden it may pay 
to invert pots over the buds so that they will attain real 
perfection. If you have forgotten to move some bulbs in the 
fall, and if they remind you of the fact very forcibly by appear- 
ing strong and healthy in the place where you know they ought 
not to be, you can boldly move them when in leaf and have them 
bloom serenely though at the end of a shortened stem. This 
is applicable only to the small garden and perhaps only to the 
bold and daring gardener ! . 
Roses ^ e ^ ^ ne straw covers or the litter off early. The little mounds 
of dirt should be carted off or raked level with the beds. If 
you have also used manure for covering it can be dug in, but 
be very careful not to go so deep as to disturb the roots which 
in most cases are near the surface in a Rose bed. Then cut out 
your dead wood and prune — a deed to be done with prayer and 
energy. The first year after setting out, everything should be 
220 
