the blossom has had its
day. Then the new leaves, started to be sure before this, have a chance.
These delayed, are ready to help out next season. You will find
hepaticas growing in clusters, sort of family groups. They are likely to
be found in rather open places in the woods. The soil is found to be
rich and loose. So these should go only in partly shaded places and
under good soil conditions. If planted with other woods specimens give
them the benefit of a rather exposed position, that they may catch the
early spring sunshine. I should cover hepaticas over with a light litter
of leaves in the fall. During the last days of February, unless the
weather is extreme take this leaf covering away. You'll find the
hepatica blossoms all ready to poke up their heads.

"The spring beauty hardly allows the hepatica to get ahead of her. With
a white flower which has dainty tracings of pink, a thin, wiry stem, and
narrow, grass-like leaves, this spring flower cannot be mistaken. You
will find spring beauties growing in great patches in rather open
places. Plant a number of the roots and allow the sun good opportunity
to get at them. For this plant loves the sun.

"The other March flower mentioned is the saxifrage. This belongs in
quite a different sort of environment. It is a plant which grows in dry
and rocky places. Often one will find it in chinks of rock. There is an
old tale to the effect that the saxifrage roots twine about rocks and
work their way into them so that the rock itself splits. Anyway, it is a
rock garden plant. I have found it in dry, sandy places right on the
borders of a big rock. It has white flower clusters borne on hairy
stems.

"The columbine is another plant that is quite likely to be found in
rocky places. Standing below a ledge and looking up, one sees nestled
here and there in rocky crevices one plant or more of columbine. The
nodding red heads bob on wiry, slender stems. The roots do not strike
deeply into the soil; in fact, often the soil hardly covers them. Now,
just because the columbine has little soil, it does not signify that it
is indifferent to the soil conditions. For it always has lived, and
always should live, under good drainage conditions. I wonder if it has
struck you, how really hygienic plants are? Plenty of fresh air, proper
drainage, and good food are fundamentals with plants.

"It is evident from study of these plants how easy it is to find out
what plants like. After studying t