food in the nest, but any kind of a vessel with a close-fitting top and
one that fits closely in the nest is suitable.--U.S. Dept. Agri.

Hardy Perennials.

MISS GRACE E. KIMBALL, WALTHAM.

There has been very little in my work with hardy perennials that seems
worth relating. For many years, in Austin, we had iris, peonies and
phlox in our garden. While my love for flowers and outdoor work led me
to spend all my time, outside of office hours, in the garden, the iris
and peonies, especially, never gave any trouble but grew and blossomed
in the most approved fashion. With the phlox we have had more trouble,
sometimes in dry seasons not getting the bloom we should, and finally,
the last year we were there, losing nearly all the roots we had. I am
now inclined to think that had we divided and transplanted them some
years before, we would not have lost them.

It was only a few years ago that I began to realize that herbaceous
perennials could, with success, be planted in the fall in our climate,
and it was not until two years ago that I made any attempt at fall
planting. That year I was quite successful, but last year, wishing to
divide as close as possible, especially with the iris, I evidently
overdid the matter, with the result that I lost many of my plants.
However, I learned my lesson, and this year they were not divided so
closely, and I am hoping that they will come through the winter all
right.

With the hardy perennials easily raised from seed my first experience
was with the oriental poppy. I had greatly desired to have some in the
garden and, not knowing that the fall was the time to plant them,
ordered some one spring. They failed to grow, so the next year I
attempted to raise them from seed, starting them in the house as I did
my pansy seed. But I was far from successful in that way, and having
read some articles on the difficulty of raising them from seed, also
learning that they should be set out in the fall, I made up my mind they
were not worth bothering with.

However, father suggested I might succeed by planting the seed in the
shade out of doors, and even though it was quite late in the summer I
got more seed and sowed it broadcast in a hedge of lilacs, syringas and
so forth, kept the ground moist, and in a short time had many plants
coming up. I also had ordered a few to be shipped me in the fall.

By fall my seedlings were large enough to be transplanted into boxes, to
be moved as we we