t 
F. H. Horsford, Charlotte, Vermont. 
HARDY PERENNIALS FROM SEED. 
H ARDY' PERENNIALS are not generally so easily grown from seed as annuals. Many of them 
are slow in coming up, and when once up are quite tender until they attain fairly good size. 
In a light, mellow soil some do very well planted at once in the open ground, but others need 
the protection of a cold frame until they have sufficient roots to withstand the sun. Gress is 
no doubt, the best covering if closely cared for, but I like the protecting-cloth quite as well. If the 
sun comes out unusually hot, and the glass is down, the plants may be killed in a short time, but with 
the cloth there is no danger. A light cotton will answer when only a small frame is used. It is best 
to have two frames, so the seedlings may be transplanted as soon as they are of sufficient size. This 
should be done as soon as a few roots are formed, and before they begin to crowd. The seeds may be 
sown in pots or in rows. If in rows, the soil in the frame should be rich, light and mellow. A mix¬ 
ture of light, sandy loam and leaf-mold is excellent. If they are sown in pots, these should be filled a 
quarter or a third with crocks or small stones to insure good drainage, and the balance with a o- 00 d 
•rich soil, such as has been advised for the rows, and in which the seed is sown. After the°first 
transplanting the seedlings need a little more light, especially after two or three days, and if the 
weather is mild the covering may be raised, admitting light and air. I like two or three grades of the 
protecting-cloth, using the heaviest at first, and the thinner, which admits more light and air, after the 
plants have become stronger. If everything has gone well with them, the voung 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 trans¬ 
planting 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 ot 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 culti¬ 
vator 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 °reat 
many more plants on its larger surface—at least three times as many—as the six-foot circle would 
accommodate wore a bed made on the ground instead of the rockery; besides, a greater variety might 
bo grown. The perfect drainage which the rockery would afford would be just the requirement which 
might bo lacking for some species in the level bed. In building such a rockery, a conical mound of 
, A°: cover fc i 10 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 
° ft n ln ^ lar ^°u ran ? smaller Pockets between the stones, in which the plants are to be placed. It is 
wo , when the stones are being laid, to add directly underand among them a prepared soil of 5 or 6 
inches composed of leaf-mold, good, rich loam and broken granite or other small broken stone. 
PROTECTING PLANTS. 
J IAKE a little protection for nearly all the hardy plants in winter; not a protection so much against 
frost, Tor this is natural to them, but a protection against mild winter weather. Plants that are 
hardy onough 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. 
Yot, wo cannot toll Just how much of this exposure each species will bear during the winter, nor just 
how much It will have to boar. Our hardiest meadow grasses are frequently killed out in open win¬ 
ters, as is the case with winter cereals. With hardy perennials it is much the same. Species that 
are natlvo 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 2 or 3 inches of swale or beaver 
meadow lmy protects them from such suddon 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 3 
inches of forest loaves under tho hay. For the exclusion of all frost for species that will not bear 
freezing, 0 to 10 inches of tho loaves under the hay will be required. 
COLLECTIONS. 
Air State which the collection Is for, when ordering. 
HARPY HERBACEOUS PLANTS FOR ROCKERIES OR FOR THE OPEN BORDER 
50 distinct varieties, my soloction, one of each, $5.00; two of each, $0.00; three of each, $12.00 
25 
12 
3.00; 
1.25; 
(t 
(< 
u 
u 
5.00; 
2 . 10 ; 
u 
(i 
u 
(< 
COLLECTIONS OF HARDY PLANTS FOR THE SHADY CORNER. 
SO distinct varlotlos, my selection, one of each, S3.00; two of each, *5.00; three of each, 
u 11 2.15; “ “ 4 nn* u 
12 " “ ‘ “ “ 1.25; “ « 2.10; “ 
6.50 
2.50 
$6.50 
5.00 
2.50 
