62 



CHEAP AND BEAUTIFUL OENAMENTS. 



A few years since, a box of autumn our brilliant forest autumnal leaves being 

 leaves, selected for the beauty and variety , unknown in England. Since then, pack- 

 of their tints, was sent to the wife of an • ages of these beautiful leaves have been 

 American ambassador at London. She [ sent over every autumn to fashionable 

 wore them as ornaments, and they at- ladies in London. — Western Times (IT. S.) 

 tracted much attention and admiration, 



EEMINDEES EOE MAECH. 



Artichokes should now be planted from 

 strong suckers". Choose those that have 

 plenty of roots, and remove the hard por- 

 tion from the base, and trim away the 

 lower leaves. Turn a pot over each, and 

 keep well watered till they are established. 



Asparagus to be cut without forcing 

 should be liberally top-dressed. 



Auriculas are no-w growing in earnest, 

 and must be protected from biting winds. 

 Water liberally, as weather permits, and 

 liquid manure once a week. Look out for 

 green-fly. 



Azaleas done blooming, trim up, and 

 clean with tobacco-water or G-ishurst com- 

 pound if affected with scale. Repot those 

 that have exhausted the soil in the old 

 pots, and set them growing at once in a 

 moist and gentle heat. 



Achimenes, start at once, if not already 

 at work. Plant in sixties when the shoots 

 are two inches long. 



Annuals, sow in small quantities, to 

 be succeeded by further sowings in April 

 and May. Get a few choice sorts, both 

 hardy and tender, forward in a propaga- 

 ting house for a little early bloom. 



Bulbs in pots, keep well watered, and 

 shade as soon as the blooms are well 

 coloured. Soot-water once a week will 

 strengthen those throwing up. 



Calceolarias must have plenty of water, 

 and be kept clear of fly. If autumn-struck 

 plants get pot-bound, they are likely to 

 perish when bedded out. 



Carnations and Picotees look poor this 

 season, and must have a little extra nur- 

 sing to enable them to recover from the 

 effects of the severe weather. Pot for 

 blooming at once, but wait till the first 

 week in April to plant out in beds. 



Citierarias require plenty of water and 

 a comfortable temperature with good ven- 

 tilation. Use the syringe to the foliage 

 of these and calceolarias. As the seed- 

 lings bloom, get rid of all the inferior 

 plants, and mark the best for seed. 



Conservatory is not too forward, and 

 needs moderate heat to keep the perma- 



nent occupants in health. Keep up the 

 supply of flowers from the abundance the 

 season affords to choose from. 



Cytisuses are now very gay, and make 

 a beautiful contrast to the colours of pri- 

 mulas, cinerarias, and hyacinths. Allow 

 none to swell pods of seed, unless seed is 

 wanted, as it weakens the growth of new 

 wood. After flowering, ill-shaped plants 

 may be cut back and refreshed with a top- 

 dressing. 



Dahlias. — Keep moving and strike cut- 

 tings as fast as you can get them, of the 

 best sorts. This is the best month for 

 amateurs to begin with them. 



Fruit-trees in need of protection must 

 be provided for at once, or the crop may 

 be lost. Shelter them with netting or tif- 

 fany before the blooms expand, as the em- 

 bryo fruit is frequently killed in the bud. 



Melons in bearing must have liberal 

 fire-heat and plenty of water. Give full 

 light, and train regularly. You cannot 

 have good fruit without first a liberal sur- 

 face of foliage. Sow for summer culture. 



Pelargoniums must have plenty of 

 light and full sun till in bloom. Give air, 

 steadily increase the heat, and close early. 

 Keep the plants as clean as if they were 

 already on the exhibition-table, and give 

 weak manure-water about every ten days. 



Pines come badly-coloured in cloudy 

 weather, so let them have all the light 

 possible. Shift young stock, and mix 

 half-inch bones with the loam, to keep it 

 rough and open. 



Potting should be performed in a 

 systematic manner. Have the crocks 

 sorted in sizes, plenty of broken charcoal 

 and half-inch bones, clean pots, and pot 

 firm. 



Soiv every kind of kitchen crop accord- 

 ing to the space of ground and wants of 

 the family, remembering that two small 

 sowings are mostly preferable to one large 

 sowing. Think more of succession than 

 quantity. The market-grower wants a 

 glut at once, but the private consumer a 

 dish every day. 



