46 THE FLORIST. 



THE LADIES' PAGE. 



February is a month demanding much active labour, but it is ren- 

 dered easy and pleasant by its immediate results. Nature is impa- 

 tient to exhibit her treasures, and every gentle shower and warm 

 sunbeam tells wonderfully on vegetable life. The buds on the trees 

 swell, and in some cases display a line of tender green, heralding the 

 coming leaf. Bulbs are peeping up every where, indicating, in some 

 instances, the colour of their flowers through the transparent sheath. 

 Greenhouse plants begin to grow rapidly, and require repotting, if 

 not done before. Thus, every day has imperative duties, all of which 

 are accompanied by actual pleasures, since the amateur sees close in 

 prospect the reward of his patient exertions. 



Those Hyacinths, Crocuses, or early Tulips, which have done 

 flowering in the sitting-room, should be turned out into a warm shel- 

 tered border, that they may recover themselves in some degree from 

 the unnatural excitement to which they have been exposed. I have 

 seen rough gardeners, in the performance of these operations, make a 

 little round hole, and thrust the roots into it in a very unceremonious 

 manner ; but it is believed the natural kindness of ladies for all that 

 has life will preserve them from such barbarity. A Hyacinth re- 

 moved from the water-glass should have its roots nicely arranged in 

 good sandy soil, pressed equally on all sides of them, so as not to 

 break them ; bulbs grown in pots should have the ball of earth 

 squeezed a little, so as to counteract the spiral form which the roots 

 will have taken in their search for a more congenial position. By 

 kind treatment such forced plants will make good border flowers, 

 w T hereas neglect will render them valueless. Those bulbs which 

 have not yet bloomed will require more water as the season advances. 

 If your stock is large, the flowering may be retarded by placing the 

 pots in an aspect where they will have no sun. 



In the garden, the flower-beds should receive attention, by raking 

 and the removal of every thing which is unsightly. Beds of Tulips 

 and other bulbs should have the surface-soil lightened and put in 

 order, not with a rake, which would be likely to injure the advancing 

 foliage, but with a blunt knife or pointed piece of wood. Ranuncu- 

 luses and Anemones should be planted this month, ample directions 

 for which will be found in other parts of The Florist. Ladies should 

 now decide what parts of the garden they mean to patronise themselves 

 during the summer, and see that the stock for bedding out is in an 

 advanced state. A glance should be given at the garden generally, 

 that all vacant places may be supplied with shrubs and rose-trees, the 

 removal of which should not be delayed. If not done at an earlier 

 period, a layer of leaf-mould may now be spread over choice flower- 

 beds ; it will give them a fine rich appearance, and promote the 

 vigorous growth of the flowers they contain. 



Energy and resolution are needed now, to prevent work accumu- 

 lating : for the season will not stand still, and every week will bring 

 its new and peculiar duties. I would say one word respecting the 

 fear which is entertained respecting catching cold in open-air pur- 



