THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



15 



ver-sand thoroughly well blended 

 Those with creeping rhizomes should 

 be very slightly covered — only so 

 much covered, in fact, with some slight 

 material, such as cocoa-nut fibre, as 

 to prevent exhaustion of the rhi- 

 zomes by drying winds until they can 

 make fresh roots, by which time the 

 frequent sprinklings they are sub- 

 jected to will have washed the mulch- 

 ing off the rhizomes, which will 

 then be left in their natural position 



on and not in the soil. It will be well 

 perhaps to make a few remarks on the 

 species which come into this group. 

 Allosorus crispus, the mountain 

 parsley fern, makes a charming tuffc 

 on a rockery ; it is fond of stone, and 

 abhors damp. I find that a mixture 

 of equal parts peat, decayed cocoa- 

 nut fibre, and broken pots or broken 

 hearthstone suits admirably. It 

 must be shaded, or the new growth 

 soon goes rusty. 



(To be continued.) 



THE GAEDEN GUIDE EOK JANUARY. 



Kitchen Garden. — Keep asparagus 

 beds for immediate supply at 55° to 65°, and 

 no higher ; lay on plenty of litter or straw 

 hurdles during frost. Sow cabbage, cauli- 

 flower, lettuce, and celery in boxes for 

 early crops. Cauliflowers in frames and 

 under hand lights to be kept clean, and 

 occasionally sprinkled with lime. Sow 

 on warm borders, where shelter can be given, 

 horn carrot, peas, beans, spinach, radishes, 

 and ttvo-bladed onions. Provide for suc- 

 cessional supplies of sea-kale and rhubarb 

 by shifting the pots, boxes, etc., from the 

 stools cut from to others not yet forced, and 

 heap the fermenting material over, adding 

 a little fresh leaves or dung to give it a fresh 

 start. Plant shallots, tree andpotato onion, 

 garlic, chives, and a few rows of early po- 

 tatoes ; the last to be on warm slopes, where 

 protection can be given, as at the foot of a 

 wall or fence, etc., etc. Sow in heat cap- 

 sicums, cucumbers, tomatoes. Keep mush- 

 room beds covered with dry material, and 

 take care to change it occasionally. 



Flower Garden. — Give pansies and 

 polyanthuses some slight protection, and 

 where lifted by frost tread them in firm, as 

 soon as the ground is dry enough. Top- 

 dress beds of pinks, plant roses, and lay on 

 a heavy mulch where not yet done 

 among established plantations; the dung for 

 this purpose should be only half rotted. 

 Plant hollyhocks during mild weather, 

 and sow seed of the same in beat to push 

 on for flowering this year — a capital plan 

 where it is not convenient to take special 

 pains in wintering a stock. This is a bad 

 time for planting evergreen shrubs, but 

 where it must be done, take care to mulch 

 the roots, and above all things do not allow 

 them to be planted in frozen earth. 



Fruit Garden. — Prune outdoor vines 

 at once ; when pruned late they are sure 



to bleed. In pruning leave the principal 

 rods eighteen inches apart, and the side 

 shoots three joints long. Remove the 

 loose bark, and brush the wall clean. 

 Finish pruning all apple, pear, plum, and 

 other orchard trees, and dress with paint 

 made of lime, soot, and clay. Lay down 

 a good coating of surface manure in plan- 

 tations of strawberries and raspberries, 

 but do not dig it in. Do the same between 

 currant and gooseberry trees, and fork 

 it in without injuring the roots. 



Frame. — Give air as often as possible 

 to auriculas r carnations, and other stock 

 and keep all clean. If any mildew use 

 sulphur, and take off the lights on fine 

 mornings for a few hours. Sow annuals 

 in pans and boxes. 



Greenhouse. — Beware of too much 

 heat at night, as the result will be long 

 joints and weakly growth. Keep cinera- 

 rias near the glass ; keep ericas well 

 aired, and moist enough at the root to pre- 

 vent the balls getting hard ; but be careful 

 in watering these and all other plants, 

 especially those with soft leaves. Give spe- 

 cimen pelargoniums their last shift. Her- 

 baceous calceolarias must never lack mois- 

 ture at the root, and they must be kept ra- 

 ther warm now, say 45° at night, 50* to 

 60°. day. Start fuchsias for cuttings and for 

 early bloom. Camellias not to go very 

 dry, or the buds will fall. 



Stove.— Orchids require much care 

 now to keep them at rest, and at the same 

 time prevent shrivelling. Those that will 

 grow to be assisted,and to have fresh rooting 

 material if necessary. Start Oesneras, 

 Gloxinias, and Achimenes. Keep constant 

 watch among plants with soft, woolly 

 leaves to see that they are not too dry, 

 and also not suffering from drip. If mil- 

 dew appears, increase the temperature. 



