ON LAYING OUT. 
27 
the firmest and best poles for hollyhocks, sunflowers, and the 
larger class of plants. Fix the flower stem to its stake with 
string, or the tape of the bass matting, soaked in water to pre¬ 
vent its cracking, and tie it sufficiently tight to prevent the wind 
tearing it from its position. Tie the large stems in three places 
for security. 
The term Deciduous , applied to shrubs, signifies that they 
shed their leaves every winter. 
Herbaceous plants, signify those plants whose roots are not 
woody, such as stocks, wallflowers, (fee. (fee. 
Fibrous -rooted plants, are those whose roots shoot out small 
fibers, such as Polyanthuses, violets, (fee. 
Tuberous -rooted plants, signify those roots which form and 
grow into little tubes, such as Anemones, Eanunculuses, &c. 
PERENNIALS. 
Perennials are flowers of many years’ duration; and they 
multiply themselves most abundantly by suckers, offsets, parting 
the roots, (fee. They require little trouble beyond taking care to 
renew the soil every year or two by a somewhat plentiful supply 
from the compost heap; and by separating the offsets, and park¬ 
ing the roots in autumn, to strengthen the mother plant. When 
the flowers are past and the stems have decayed, then the opera¬ 
tion may take place. Choose a showery day for transplanting 
the roots, or give them a moderate watering to fix them fin their 
fresh places. When you transplant a flower root, dig a hole with 
your trowel sufficiently large to give the fibers room to lie freely 
and evenly in the ground. 
I have, throughout my little work, laid great stress upon pos¬ 
sessing a heap of compost, ready to apply to roots and shrubs 
every spring and autumn. Wherever the soil is good the flowers 
