and spent hot-bed materials forming the best
compost. A distance of six inches apart each way, and a depth of about
two inches will suffice for these plants, and a warm sunny spot is most
suitable. The roots are very cheap, a dozen of various colours costing
only threepence or fourpence.

* * * * *

Anemones constitute a race of very pretty, delicate, and showy spring
flowers, having varieties of nearly every hue, both single and double,
but the former class is much preferable. They thrive best in good loamy
soil, which has been well manured the year previous to planting. Roots
should be obtained and planted--at about 4 in. apart--as soon as
possible, the sooner the better, so that the plants will be sturdy and
well grown before the very severe weather commences. Roots cost about
nine-pence or one shilling per dozen. Unless the charming lily of the
valley be already an inmate of our Children's Own Garden, a few "crowns"
should be now purchased and placed in almost any part of the garden, but
thorough drainage is most essential. Whilst thriving in any ordinary
soil, they produce very fine bloom when in a rich porous compost. The
roots should be taken up, divided, and replanted separately once in
every four years.

A RACE FOR A CAT.

A FAIRY STORY.

"Too small! too small!" so the birds sang, so the roses whispered, so
the bees hummed.

"She will creep in at the window," said the mother, who was kneeling
beside a little child. "Only a small child can do that."

[Illustration: "A CAT WAS LYING ... UPON A CHAIR" (_p. 363_).]

But the window shut down suddenly with a bang, and the house to which it
belonged began to move away, slowly at first, then quicker and quicker,
until it was out of sight altogether. The child began to sob, and said--

"Nan will run after it."

Ah! such a flutter among the roses, and such a twittering amongst the
birds, whilst the bees hummed--

"Too small, too small!
She should be tall,
If she would catch the house at all."

And the birds sang--

"She must grow,
We all do know;
And that's a process very slow."

"It will be years," said the mother, "before she grows tall."

"Pooh! porridge!" said a toy dog that was lying on the ground.

The mother turned round.

The little dog was standing upright, and had pricked up his ears.

"Porridge, porridge!" he said, and he kept saying it over so many times
tha