ch the reliable seedsman does in growing his stock, hence their
expenses are less. Cheap seed will be found cheap in all senses of the
term.

I want to lay special emphasis on the advisability of purchasing seed
in which each color is by itself. The objection is often urged that one
person seldom cares to use as many plants of one color as can be grown
from a package of seed. This difficulty is easily disposed of. Club with
your neighbors, and divide the seed between you when it comes. In this
way you will secure the most satisfactory results and pay no more for
your seed than you would if you were to buy "mixed" packages. Grow
colors separately for a season and I am quite sure you will never go
back to mixed seed.

THE BULB GARDEN

Every lover of flowers should have a garden of bulbs, for three reasons:
First, they bloom so early in the season that one can have flowers at
least six weeks longer than it is possible to have them if only
perennial and annual plants are depended on. Some bulbs come into bloom
as soon as the snow is gone, at the north, to be followed by those of
later habit, and a constant succession of bloom can be secured by a
judicious selection of varieties, thus completely tiding over the
usually flowerless period between the going of winter and the coming of
the earlier spring flowers. Second, they require but little care, much
less than the ordinary plant. Give them a good soil to grow in, and keep
weeds and grass from encroaching on them, and they will ask no other
attention from you, except when, because of a multiplication of bulbs,
they need to be separated and reset, which will be about every third
year. The work required in doing this is no more than that involved in
spading up a bed for annual flowers. Third, they are so hardy, even at
the extreme north, that one can be sure of bloom from them if they are
given a good covering in fall, which is a very easy matter to do.

For richness and variety of color this class of plants stands
unrivalled. The bulb garden is more brilliant than the garden of annuals
which succeeds it.

September is the proper month in which to make the bulb garden.

As a general thing, persons fail to plant their bulbs until October and
often November, thinking the time of planting makes very little
difference so long as they are put into the ground before winter sets
in. Here is where a serious mistake is made. Early planting should
always be the rule,--for