194 
THE AMATEUR’S FLOWER GARDEN. 
use. This should be done on the instant of the discovery of 
the value of the plant; there must be no waiting until the 
flowering is past, for then it may be forgotten, or the plant 
may die. The practised cultivator, who has a taste for keep¬ 
ing a u good thing,” would indeed at once cut off the head of 
the plant, and sacrifice the flowers, in order to obtain a free 
growth of young shoots, making sure, too, of a few to begin 
with, and having in view to cut and come again. 
But what about Biennials ? These may be disposed of in 
a general way, by saying that they are in all respects the 
same as annuals, but usually do not flower until they have 
passed through one winter; and having flowered, they gene¬ 
rally die; and therefore, like annuals, have to be renewed 
from year to year. It is impossible to classify garden plants 
strictly as annuals, biennials, and perennials; for some so- 
called annuals will live through the winter and flower again, 
some so-called biennials will flower the same season that they 
are sown, and very many will do so if they are sown early 
on a gentle hotbed, and are coaxed along in frames, and 
are planted out when they have attained to a good size. And 
again, some so-called biennials last many years, and become 
