MARCH. 95 



should be so constructed as to admit air without shding down the hghts, 

 a free circulation may be kept up at will. If the early Peaches are 

 in tlovver they should be carefully gone over and the weakest of the 

 flowers taken off Keep the atmosphere rather dry, and by keeping 

 up a good heat in day time a free circulation of air may be maintained. 

 Do not allow the borders to become dry inside, and fumigate on the 

 slightest appearance of aphis. 



Fruit, Hardy. — Wliile the weather remains severe strictly watch the 

 mischievous visits of those birds known to destroy the fruit buds ; have 

 them destroyed. Finish the pruning and nailing of Apricots and 

 Peaches towards the end of the month, if the trees are sufficiently 

 advanced in fruit-bearing appearance to do so. Plant young and 

 healthy trees where others have decayed, and when doing so remove 

 the old soil, giving additions of fresh turfy loam. 



Fuchsias. — These will be growing fast this month, both the young 

 plants and the old stocks ; this growth should be encouraged, but not 

 too rapidly, or the plants become long-jointed ; those that have this 

 tendency should be at once stopped, which will have the effect of making 

 them more bushy. Fuchsias will grow in almost any soil, but a rich 

 light soil suits them best. The Fuchsia can be propagated to almost 

 any extent at this season, if plants are required, either for late blooming 

 in the greenhouse or for bedding out There are but few kmds, how- 

 ever, adapted for the latter purpose ; those with small foliage will be 

 found the best adapted for out-door work. Standard Fuchsias, such as 

 are to be seen at Dropmore during the summer and autumn months, 

 are interesting and noble objects. These are easily grown by pinching 

 out the side shoots until they have attained the desired height. Old 

 plants flower the best. 



Greenhouse. — Keep this structure well aired, and take advantage of 

 a good day to close early, keeping down fire heat as far as convenient. 

 See that all things are strictly clean, neatly trained, and attended to 

 with water. If the collection is miscellaneous, let the attention be more 

 varied, withholding great supplies of water from unhealthy or weak 

 specimens, and vice versa. Keep down insects while the season is 

 early. 



Hollyhocks. — Continue to increase these by taking cuttings from the 

 stools as often as they can be procured ; cuttings taken now will stand 

 more heat than those taken in the autumn, not that they should be 

 placed in a strong heat. The same treatment that the Dahlia succeeds 

 in wiU do for the Hollyhock, only with about half the amount of heat. 

 Repot the young stock struck during the autumn and winter, that the 

 plants may become strong by the time they are required for planting 

 out. 



Kitchen Garden. — Where circumstances will admit of doing so, 

 ground should be in readiness to receive the spring crops, and Peas and 

 Beans which have been forwarded in cold frames should be planted in 

 a warm situation. Early vegetables that are sown in cold frames should 

 have every attention as to air, &c., and pricked out when sufficiently 

 advanced to do so. Make use of all spare framing to forward early 

 Potatoes. Make frequent sowings of Lettuce, Radish, &c., and on 



