2 
F. H. Horsford, Charlotte, Vermont. 
HARDY PERENNIALS FROM SEED. 
I T IS often a little more difficult to grow perennial plants from seed than annuals. They do not come 
up so readily, nor can they so easily be reared into strong flowering plants. There are, of course, 
many exceptions, and some are more easily grown than we wish they were, being inclined to spread 
so as to become weeds. But others require tne most careful treatment up to the time when ready to 
transplant. A few may not come up the same year, and some require even two years before they 
germinate. Autumn is a good season for sowing most perennials, or as soon as the seed is ripe; but 
with few exceptions I have found spring quite as good. The principal thing with most is to keep the 
top of the ground moist and in such a condition that the young plants can come up. I like the coldframe 
the best for growing hardy perennials, and this I cover with common cotton. Except in very dry, hot 
weather a frame covered with a good, medium heavy cotton will keep moist if watered once in three 
days. It is well to give it an airing every day if the weather is warm and damp. When the seedlings 
are of a proper size, which is as soon as a few roots have formed, and before they begin to crowd and 
grow spindling, they should be transplanted, either outside into their permanent bed, where they will 
have to be shaded for a few days until they become established, or, better, into a second frame, where 
they can be protected for a time from the sun and drying winds. If everything has gone well with them, 
the young seedlings will do to go outside in four to six weeks after the first transplanting; but the 
covering should be left off three or four days previous to this, in order to harden them off before the 
change. By giving the young seedlings a little exposure beforehand, and shading afterwards, I have 
had fairly good success in transplanting outside at first; but I like much better the plan of transplanting 
into the frame first, and then outside, as the plants seem enough better to pay for the extra work. When 
perennials are sown in autumn, many come up with the first warm days of spring. 
THE ROCK GARDEN. 
T HIS class of gardening is receiving much more attention in America than in former years. It is not 
only quite essential in the landscape development of many places, but it enables the cultivator to 
manage successfully many species that he might never otherwise succeed with in level culture. A 
conical rockery that would cover a six-foot circle would afford room for a great many more plants 
on its large surface—at least three times as many—as the six-foot circle would accommodate were a bed 
made on the ground instead of the rockery ; besides, a greater variety might be grown. The perfect drain¬ 
age which the rockery would afford would be just the requirement which might be lacking for some species 
in the level bed. In building such a rockery, a conical mound of earth is made to cover the foundation, and 
stones are laid, first around the bottom, then above those embedded in this mound, around and one above 
another, until the whole surface has been gone over, leaving larger and smaller pockets between the 
stones, in which the plants are to be placed. It is well, when the stones are being laid, to add directly 
under and among them a prepared soil of five or six inches, composed of leaf-mold, good, rich loam and 
broken granite or other small broken stone. 
PROTECTING PLANTS. 
I LIKE a little protection for nearly all the hardy plants in winter ; not a protection so much against 
frost, for this is natural to them, but a protection against mild winter weather. Plants that are hardy 
enough for the severest winter weather may be killed by alternate freezing and thawing. Nature 
in many instances provides this protection in the dead foliage falling about the plants. Yet we cannot 
tell how much of this exposure each species will bear during the winter, nor just how much it will have to 
bear. Our hardiest meadow grasses are frequently killed out in open winters, as is the case with winter 
cereals. With hardy perennials it is much the same. Species that are native to the coldest climate—that 
will stand almost any amount of cold, freezing weather—are often injured by alternate freezing and 
thawing. But a covering of two or three inches of swale or beaver meadow hay protects them from such 
sudden changes, and they come out from their covering in spring as fresh and green as those from under 
a snow bank. A few of the more tender sorts may need three inches of forest leaves under the hay. For 
the exclusion of all frost for species that will not bear freezing, six to ten inches of the leaves under the 
hay will be required. 
COLLECTIONS. 
49-State what the collection la for when ordering. 
HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS FOR ROCKERIES OR FOR THE OPEN BORDER. 
50 distinct varieties, my selection, one of each, $5.00 ; two of each, $9.00: three of each, $12.00 
or “ “ “ “ “ inr*' “ “ « «< * < 
25 
12 
300 ; " 5-°o; 
. ■* 1.25; “ “ 2.10; " 
COLLECTIONS OF HARDY PLANTS FOR THE SHADY CORNER. 
30 distinct varieties, my selection, one of each, $3.00 : two of each, $5.00: three of each. 
20 “ " “ “ / “ 2.15;' “ “ 4.00; " “ 
12 
1.25 
2.10 
6.50 
2.50 
$6.50 
5.00 
2.50 
