THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 141 



to go too dry in winter, and especially in early spring, as this might 

 cause them to start prematurely. 



Hurst House is a capital small-growing variety, with sickle- 

 shaped leaves and formidable spines. The fruit is sugar-loaf shaped, 

 the pips very boldly produced, the flavour excellent, though scarcely 

 first rate. It is the best variety known for small houses, and for 

 those amateurs who, having collections of stove plants, like to grow 

 a few pines with them for the chance of a fruit occasionally. The 

 Hurst House pine requires less water than any other. 



Smooth-leaved Cayenne is good or bad according to circumstances. 

 I have met with many trashy stocks under this name, which 

 proved to be spurious. It is the Green Havannah that is usually 

 substituted for the Cayenne when a spurious sort is sent. Get the 

 true sort and you can have no finer pine for winter fruit. The plant 

 grows taller than the Queen, and spreads more ; the leaves are 

 broad, and a fine dark-green colour. As for the fruit, it is extremely 

 handsome when well finished, and a splendid deep yellow colour. 

 The Smooth Cayenne requires plenty of water at all seasons, but of 

 course there must be discretion used as to this, for in winter it is an 

 easy matter to overdo it, and make shipwreck of your labour. It is 

 very shy of making suckers, therefore we are glad to grow it 

 from crowns, if we can get them, and sometimes we are compelled 

 to put the stems into strong bottom-heat to start the buds upon 

 them, when we find they make as good plants as any. 



Providence is only fit to grow to make a monster for exhibition. 



Charlotte Rothschild is worth having in a collection. 



Bnville, Antigua, and Blood Bed are interesting sorts for people 

 who can grow collections as we do at Bicton ; but, in a smallish 

 garden they are simply in the way. 



THE LADIES' GABDEN.— No. V. 



ET J. C. CLARKE, 



Head Gardener at Cothelston House, Taunton. 



|HIS will be a busy month with our fair readers ; and 

 although almost everything may be planted out in the last 

 week of the month, still, unless there is a good prospect 

 of favourable weather, it is best to be in no hurry to bed 

 out the seedlings from the frame which were advised 

 to be sown last month. In many instances the plants will thrive 

 better if left until the first week in June, as by that time the earth 

 becomes warmer, and, consequently, the young plants take root 

 sooner, and make a growth, without any perceptible check, and this 

 delay in planting enables the gardener to bestow more time upon the 

 preparation of the beds. If the surface soil is stirred up every 

 week where there are vacant beds, it will be in all the better condition 

 for the reception of the young plants. At all events, it is no use to 



