THE FLORIST. 279 



plants of any variety be weakly, pot them in preference to plant- 

 ing out, and winter them in cold frames, unless you can cover 

 them with small glasses in very wet or severe weather. Should 

 the soil get baked by heavy rains, hoe between the plants when- 

 ever it shall have become sufficiently dry for that purpose. The 

 general stock should now be potted up ; they will do equally well 

 one plant or several in a pot, provided they are planted out early 

 in the spring, before the roots become matted together. 

 Royal Nursery, Slough. C. Turner. 



Pelargoniums. — Shift all young plants that require it ; repot the 

 bottoms that have been disrooted and have got well established 

 again, putting them into their flowering pots, as they will not 

 require another shift for flowering in May. Water sparingly; 

 and in the morning light a fire now and then in the daytime, so 

 as to get the heating apparatus in order, in case it should be 

 wanted in a hurry. 



Seedlings will require but very little water ; if wet weather 

 should set in, light a little fire in the morning, to rid the atmo- 

 sphere of the house of excessive moisture. 



Worton Cottage. J. Dobsox. 



Pinks. — It is now time the planting was brought to a close ; no 

 time should be lost in completing the beds for next year's 

 flowering. If the weather continues dry, occasional waterings will 

 be serviceable and necessary ; but should the atmosphere prove 

 humid, little water will be required. Cleanliness and frequent 

 stirrings of the surface- soil will always prove advantageous. 

 Peckham. J. T. Neville. 



Polyanthuses. — If the recommendations given in the last Number 

 be carried out, little more can be done at present. 



Peckham. J. T. Neville. 



Tulips. — I cannot vary the instructions given last year to any ad- 

 vantage, and therefore repeat them. " Examine" the bulbs, and, 

 if not previously done, let them now be arranged for planting, 

 making the alterations and improvements noted down in the 

 Tulip-book during blooming-time : this we do immediately the 

 bulbs are taken up, while the changes intended to be made are 

 fresh on the mind ; we also procure at once any new varieties 

 we may wish for, and then re-arrange them. The bed should 

 now be got ready for planting. If the soil has only been in use 

 one year, and the bulbs did well in it, there is no advantage to 

 be derived in changing it, for they will do well in the same soil 

 (if it be good) for two or three successive years ; all that is re- 

 quired is, to remove about three inches from the surface, laying 

 it in a ridge by the sides of the bed ; then fork over the mould 

 left in the bed, laying that also in a high ridge for a week or ten 

 days. If the soil require changing, it need not be all removed. 

 We have this day (September 15th) taken about ten inches off 

 the top, then put about six inches of two-year old rotted turf 



