ember to February.

_Stocks_--What I said about snapdragons on page 64 might well be
repeated here. Start from seed in August or September. They are very
easily grown. In addition to their beauty--they resemble a spray of
small roses--is their entrancing fragrance. Only the double sorts are
good. There are many fine new sorts. Abundance, a beautiful delicate
pink, will be sure to arouse your enthusiasm.

_Verbena_--If any of these old brilliant favorites are wanted, start
from cuttings, being sure to use strong new growth which may be induced
by spading up and enriching the soil in August, and cutting back the
plants.

_Verbena, Lemon_--See page 77.

_Violets_--See Part II (page 183).

There is one thing which the beginner cannot be told too often, and
which I repeat here, as it has much to do with the success of many of
the above plants. Do not fail to pinch back seedlings and cuttings
during their early stages of growth, to induce the formation of stocky,
well-branched plants. This must be the foundation of the winter's
returns.

CHAPTER IX

SHRUBS

The shrubs of dwarf habit available for growing inside in winter are
numerous and valuable. They include a number of the most attractive
plants one may have, and as a rule will stand more hardships in the way
of poor light, low temperature and irregular attention than any of the
other flowering plants.

They differ from the other flowering plants in several ways. They are
harder wooded; the resting spell is more marked and they make growth and
store up energy for flowering _ahead_ of the blossoming season.

Their differences in habit of growth naturally involve differences in
treatment. In the first place, they are harder to propagate; in many
cases it is better for the amateur to get plants from the florist than
to try to raise them. This is not such a disadvantage as might at first
appear, because most of them can be kept for several years, only
improving with age.

The "snapping" test (page 30) will not apply to many of the shrubs when
taking cuttings. In this case they are made from the new growth after
it becomes firm and well ripened. It should be fresh and plump, and
rooting will be made more certain by bottom heat. Often cuttings of
hard-wooded plants, such as oleander, are rooted in plain water, in
wide-mouthed bottles hung in a warm place in the sun, the water being
frequently renewed or kept fresh with a lump or so of charcoal.

Many of