MANAGEMENT OF THE FLOWER GARDEN. 1 77 
ripe shoots of the previous growth, which if shaded 
from the sun, and protected from heavy rains, will 
make nice plants by autumn. 
Continue to support with sticks, dahlias, and all tall 
herbaceous plants, which should be duly attended to 
as they advance in growth, to prevent them being bro¬ 
ken down with storms. 
The middle of June is a good time to trim box edg¬ 
ings ; it should be done in moist weather, or soon after 
rain, for if the box is cut in hot dry weather, it is apt 
to become brown and unsightly. These edgings 
should be cut very neatly and evenly on the top, and 
sides, and should not be suffered to grow higher than 
three or four inches, nor broader than two or three 
inches. Where box edgings are kept near that size, 
they look exceedingly neat, but when permitted to 
grow six or eight inches in height, and perhaps nearly 
as much in breadth, they have a clumsy appearance, 
aud make the beds and borders look low and hollow. 
Hedges of Privet or Buckthorn, &c., that are in the 
garden, either by way of ornament or fence, should, in 
order to keep them close, be clipped twice in the sum¬ 
mer; the first clipping should be performed about 
midsummer, and the second about the middle or end 
of August; and as they will not shoot much again 
the same year, they will remain in close neat order till 
the next season. 
Cut down the stems of such plants as are past 
flowering, (taking them off close to their heads,) and 
clean them from all dead leaves, but when it is intended 
to save seed from any of the plants, leave some of the 
principal flower stems for that purpose ; also prune 
