NOVKMBER. 245 



2d. Give plenty of air at every possible opportunity, when the 

 weather is mild, either by having the window up, or by removinf}^ the 

 plants outside. If, in warm weather, this is done under a bright 

 sun, the pots will have to be shaded, as the sun upon the sides of 

 pots would prove injurious to the young roots, and would greatly 

 injure the plant ; and if in bloom, and exposed to the sun, the Howers 

 would soon fade and drop. 



3d. Keep the rooms where the plants are of as uniform a tem- 

 perature as possible, and the plants tiiemselves as near the window 

 as is convenient, except in severe weather, when they are better near 

 the middle of the room during the night. 



4th. Examine them occasionally, to see if the pots are full of 

 roots. If this is the case, and the plants are worth it, get some good 

 soil, and shift them into pots a size larger ; or if not shifted, be more 

 careful in supplying water, as they will require more when in this 

 state. In summer, water them frequently over the foliage, but not 

 except they also need it at the root as well. 



These may be adopted as very general rules, though more abso- 

 lutely necessary to some j)lants than others, but very good to all. 



There is a good deal to be considered in buying plants, in making 

 the proper choice ; for however gratifying it may be to have those 

 which look best in full bloom, it is most satisfactory to have those 

 which last longest in perfection, especially those which have a suc- 

 cession of bloom, and ichose foliage is interesting when the bloom is 

 gone. This rule may be deviated from in behalf of Tulips, Crocuses, 

 Hyacinths, and other bulbs^ which are valuable when little else is in 

 flower. These will also bloom in the darkest streets of our cities. 

 They ought to be purchased either in the beginning of this month, 

 when the roots are dry for planting yourselves, or in pots when they 

 are beginning to grow ; for if delayed till they are in bloom, nine- 

 tenths of their value is lost, because they are interesting in every 



stage of their growth, from the first formation of the leaves to the 



1 • 1 

 perfection of the flower. Every day of development has its charm ; 



and therefore they ought to be possessed from the first. If in pots, 



all these require a plentiful supply of water when in a growing state ; 



and if kept cool after shewing flower, their season of blooming is 



prolonged. Horticulturalist. 



HARDY SHRUBS FOR FLOWER-BEDS IN SPRING. 



In order to give a novel and diversified appearance to the flower- 

 garden, tlie earlier spring-flowering shrubs, trained on wire- work, or 

 fastened to pegs of wood, at the height of six inches from the ground, 

 and kept of a uniform length in the manner of dwarf Roses, would 

 be exceedingly showy and attractive, even in the most limited flower- 

 beds. 



The earlier flowering shrubs, as Ribes, &c., are more beautiful 

 than the generality of tilings which bloom in summer, and superior 



