THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 9 



privet to hide it, will not take tip much room, and will hold all 

 the refuse for one year of a small garden, and at the end of that 

 year there will be sufficient of it in a decomposed state to use 

 amongst the beds and borders. That which is not rotten may 

 go into the bottom of the pit, for another year. And if, at any time 

 in hot weather, fermentation takes place with what has been thrown 

 iu the hole, why, a barrow-load of soil will keep down any offensive 

 smell that may rise from it. The waste vegetables from the kitchen, 

 the sweepings of walks, etc., and all weeds, and trimmings from the 

 plants iu the beds or borders, iu fact, any vegetable matter of any 

 and every kind, will make a capital manure for flowers if first rotted 

 in the way I propose. 



In many gardens, there is a scarcity of good soil on the surface, 

 this should be increased, where it is possible, in every case, especially 

 on the cold, stiff clay round London. A few loads of good loam may 

 sometimes be obtained for a mere trifle, from places where building 

 operations are in progress ; at all events, where the top spit is not 

 good it should be improved and augmented. I have recommended 

 that the borders should be dug up at once ; but in after years, this 

 work must be done in October, when the chief flowers for the season 

 are over. October is the best month because any herbaceous plants 

 that it may be desirable to divide, may be taken up and re- 

 planted without risk ; and the manuring may be done at the same 

 time- Iu my own case, having two long borders devoted to herba- 

 ceous plants, I dig them every year in October, and such things as 

 phloxes, Michaelmas daisies, and many other things, I take up, dig 

 out the soil, and fill up the hole with manure, and plant again 

 on the same spot, always manuring, at least every second 

 year, all the occupants of the borders, except flowering shrubs. 

 Many object to digging herbaceous borders, or even flower-beds in 

 which there are permanent bulbs, until the bulbs show themselves 

 above ground ; but this I consider a waste of time. In my own 

 case, I know the position of every clump of bulbs by a neat little 

 stick about four inches out of the ground, I can therefore dig and 

 plant without disturbing them, if required ; but no ordinary bulb 

 will sutler from removal at that season of the year, if done with care, 

 and planted again directly. The reader has now plenty of work set 

 out for the first month of the new year, so I shall deter, until the 

 next number, the remarks I have to make on the spring and summer 

 work of beds and borders. 



Sciiizostylis coccinea is a member of the gladiolus family, a Lardy border 

 bulb, of neat grassy growth, and producing graceful spikes of most beautiful rosy 

 scarlet flowers in December. In sheltered places it may be left out the whole year- 

 round, but where likely to be harmed by frost it should be taken up and potted in 

 October, to adorn the conservatory or the window. It is one of the best winter- 

 flowering plants we have. 



