31 



GARDEN GUIDE FOR JANUARY. 



KHelien G'arcZeii.— Supposing tlie vacant plots to be ridged up, opportuijities for 

 manuring should be made the best of. During frost, wlieeling may be done without 

 harming the ground, and the manure may be put in the trenches, and a top crust 

 from the ridges tumlaled down iipon it with the fork. This will be a good prepara- 

 tive for spring work. 



Flower Garden. — There is little to be done beyond keeping things clean. 

 Koses may be planted, so may anemones and ranunculuses, riowei'-beds that have 

 not been touched since last season should be looked over, and perhaps a little 

 manure may do them good. 



Fruit Garden. — Where manure is plentiful, it may be well bestowed in mulch- 

 ing the ground amongst strawberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and bush 

 pear and plum-trees. If fine fruit is desired, there must be food afforded to make 

 it. Planting and prnning may proceed. 



Greenhouse. — Fire-heat may be increased, now that the days are lengthening, 

 and the plants have had a rest. Subjects to be propagated must first be made to 

 grow in a genial temperature, and then cuttings of tiie young shoots may be taken. 

 Primulas, cinerarias, cvclamens, and other subjects in flowei-, to be kept warm, near 

 the glass, and have regular watering. 



*4^* Past issues of the Floral World contain copious calendars of opera- 

 tions, and the " Garden Oracle," has a complete and concise calendar adapted for 

 reference. For these reasons the " Garden Guide" will be on a contracted scale 

 this year. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



How should I continue a certain set of beds with the colours yellow, blue, vrhite, 

 pink. Last summer I tried in the following way, but did not well succeed. 1st, 

 yellow pausies, which continued bright all summer ; 2nd, blue Nemophila, which 

 when over I replaced with blue Lobelia ; 3rd, white pinks, which when over I 

 replaced with dwarf fuchsias ; 4, Saponaria calabrica. The Xemophila made a 

 very beautiful bed, but when over was very badly replaced by blue lobelia, which 

 •was not nearly so good a colour. The white pinks were not well replaced by the 

 fuchsias, which, although very lovely, were not at all a bed of the like character. 

 The Saponaria did not come into flower till the pinks and Nemophila were over, 

 and all that time the Saponaria bed was of coiu-se without any colour. The 

 height and growth of the Nemophila and Saponaria are what I most want 

 for these beds, but if you could suggest any other kinds of flowers which 

 ■would have the different colours I want, or others which would blend as 

 well, and make a more regular and more lasting display, I should be 

 much obliged. Could it be managed with dwarf herbaceous plants of any kind? 

 I wish to know if it would be possible to adopt the saxifrage and houscleek 

 (mentioned in the Floral World of November last as beautiful things for a bed) 

 on a bed diamond-shaped, and only 6^ by 2>\ feet to the corners of the diamond ? 

 I am obliged to do so much of the gardening in my little place myself, having only 

 occasionally the assistance of a man, that I should be much obliged for a hint as to 

 filling my beds with hardy things which would keep the garden tolerably bright 

 without constant change. — A Lady Subscriber. [The problem proposed by " A 

 Lady Subscriber" is well worth whatever trouble may attend its solution. 1. The 

 yellow pansies are admirable, but we should expect them to look very weedy towards 

 the end of the summer. They appear, however, to give satisfaction, but suppose 

 them to fail, what should we plant in their place to maintain a display of yellow. 

 Calceolarias would scarcely do, for they decline in beauty towards autumn, and 

 would be too tall for the place. If the colour were not too strong, Gazania splendens 

 would do, provided they were spring-struck plants, or they would be fast coming 



