70 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [March, 



GARDEN WORK FOR JMARCH. 



FLOWERS, 

 'HOULD the weather be suitable, IIard;i Annuals -may be sown, either where 

 they are to flower, or in a sheltered place or reserve garden. The old 

 herbaceous border never looks more in character, seldom more beautiful, 

 than when brightened up by the gleam of hardy annuals. If the weather 

 is severe, these may be sown in a cold frame or Rendle's Protector, the 

 latter an admirable contrivance for the raising of seeds. Overgrown shoots of 

 Herbaceous plants may still be reduced ; it is a good plan to take up the stool 

 bodily, divide it, and plant on a fresh spot ; Phloxes^ Golden-rods^ and such 

 plants soon drain the soil dry of virtue, but by giving the plants a new place we 

 set them down to a new larder without the trouble of filling it with manure. 

 Most herbaceous plants, however, pay well for manuring. Top-dress and prune 

 Eoses^ if not already done ; the richer the dressing now, the larger and more brilliar 

 the Eoses in June. Guard Crocuses^ Tulips^ and other bulbs against mice, birds 

 rabbits, &c. Hares, I find, are very fond of crocus leaves, feeding them off like sheep. 

 Choice bulbs of H//acinths, Ranunculuses, Anemones^ Tulips^ &c., requii-e some 

 protection from biting March frosts. Stir the soil among all spring flowers and 

 bulbs ; remove dead or dying flowers ; give the last finishing touches to the 

 turf, and sweep and roll it ready for mowing ; relay Box, Thrift, or other 

 edgings ; turn or re-surface gravel walks, or hoe, rake, and roll them ; and let 

 perfect order and cleanliness wait on beauty throughout the entire garden. 

 Those who would have their lawns of the finest velvety pile thi'oughout the 

 season must see to it that they are level as a die and clean as a fair lady's hand 

 now, and also that the knives of the mowing machine anticipate rather than 

 wait upon or lag behind growth. 



In-Doors. — Cleanliness is the parent of health inside, as it is the true sister of 

 beauty in the garden ; it is positive cruelty to plants to force them to run along 

 the lines of growth with a load of dirt on their backs, or of insects sucking out 

 their life. The dirt may be fine, the insect almost invisible, but so much the 

 worse for the plants. In regard to insects, our hearts must be as flint, and ' utter 

 swift destruction ' must be our motto. There are those who still believe that ants 

 eat scale or aphides, but it is all delusion. Most stove plants will now need either 

 potting or top-dressing. Alocasias, Anthuriums, and Caladiums do best in 

 shallow pans ; Crotons, Palms, Ferns, &c., need deep, roomy pots ; Dipladenias, 

 Clerodendrons, and A llamandas, though gross-rooting, flower best when under- 

 potted ; the latter should now be stopped to make them break back freely. 

 Dipladenias, Stephanotis, Clerodendrons, &c., should be trained near the glass 

 till they show flower ; they can then be trellised on any form or size a fortnight 

 or three weeks before they are wanted for show or other purposes. Fresh 

 pot Begonias, reducing the balls. Gesneras, Ti/deas, &c., that have 

 flowered in winter should be gradually dried off ; encourage Gloxinias 

 with manure water ; cut down Euphoi'bia jacqidnia^fiora, Poinsettias, Begonias, 

 Justicias, Plumbago rosea, &c., and put in cuttings. Remove shy-flowering 

 plants of Eucharis amazonica into a cold pit for three weeks ; then 

 return them to the stove and plunge in a bottom-heat of 80°, and the flowers 

 will come forth with a rush. Keep the stove at 70° to 75° fire-heat, 80° to 85° 

 sun-heat, with plenty of moisture, and shade during fierce gleaming sunshine. Be 

 cautious of fire-heat in the conservatory and greenhouse on frosty nights, and 

 drag the fires clean out on bright mornings. Nothing is more trying to plants 

 or more destructive to flowers than the meeting together of sun and fire-heat. 

 Keep down the temperature to 50°-55°, and by giving air without creating 



