THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



181 



cut hard, as to form roots a joint in the 

 soil is not necessary, as the internodes will 

 root nearly as soon as the joints. 



Herbaceous Plants may be divided now, 

 and many may be raised from seed for 

 next year. All the low-growing tufted 

 plants, such as Aubrietia purpurea, Arabis, 

 etc., may be parted, so that each little tuft 

 has a few fibres ; if shaded and kept watered 

 for a week they will soon make new roots, 

 and form nice tufts to remove from the 

 reserve ground to the borders and beds in 

 early spring. It is not too late to put in 

 cuttings of that best of all the spring 

 flowers, Iberis sempervirens. We have 

 destroyed our whole stock of common white 

 arabis, in order to substitute this for it ; 

 the flowers are produced so much more 

 abundantly, are so much more beautiful, 

 and the plants are green and lively all 

 winter. See to this and other such things, 

 and make a list of all you have. 



Hollyhocks are now coming into full 

 beauty, and must have every attention 

 necessary to keep them so. See that they 

 are loosely but safely tied to their stakes, 

 as a smart gale will sometimes snap off the 

 best spikes. As they are quite as much 

 infested with earwigs as dahlias, the in- 

 tending exhibitor must set traps. Plenty 

 of water will help them to open the top 

 buds well, and all choice kinds on which 

 it is desirable to have a few good blossoms 

 to the last should be disbudded. Take off 

 first every other bud all the way up, then 

 remove a few more on the side farthest 

 from the walk, or on what may he called 

 the backs of the plants, and then go over 

 them again and remove a few buds where- 

 ever they are crowded ; finally, top the 

 stems to uniform heights, if the plants form 

 a compartment of themselves : when they 

 are scattered about there is no occasion to 

 top them, and are to be propagated from 

 cuttings as soon as they can be got from 

 the stool. Cuttings from the stems are of 

 no use to amateurs, and should never be 

 used by anybody, except to increase kinds 

 in great demand. 



Lilies and Liliums. — Though all lilies 

 are Idiums, there is au accepted distinction 

 between these terms which ic is useful to 

 recognize in calendarial directions. All 

 border lilies that have done blooming 

 should be taken up, the offsets removed, 

 and the large roots for flowering next year 

 be planted again directly where they are 

 to bloom, and with a shovelful of rotten 

 dung or some sound fresh compost added 

 for every clump. Plant the offsets also 

 at once in the reserve ground. This is the 

 proper way to manage all border lilies. 

 Choice liliums in pots to have abundance 



of water until done blooming ; after that 

 the supply of water to be diminished, but 

 not hastily ; and as soon as the foliage 

 shows signs of decay lay the pots on their 

 sides on a sunny shelf in a greenhouse, to 

 make sure of ripening the bulbs : let them 

 remain in the pots a month, and then shake 

 them out and repot them. 



Tansies to be propagated from cuttings 

 of young wood ; the old rotten stems are 

 quite unfit for the purpose. Keep the cut- 

 tings shaded, and sprinkle frequently, but 

 the soil of the cutting pans only moderately 

 moist. Beds to be planted to stand over 

 winter should now be deeply dug and 

 manured, which will tend to reduce wire- 

 worm, as they will be turned up in the 

 process and be destroyed. After the beds are 

 made ready, set traps for vermin, and per- 

 severe to get. the ground clean, as the losses 

 in winter often arise through the eating 

 away of the roots by marauders. 



Saving Seed. — Many choice border 

 plants are now ripening their seeds, and 

 whatever is required "must be secured in 

 time. Generally it is safest to gather the 

 seed before it is dead ripe, as in many 

 cases the pods open, and the seed is scat- 

 tered and lost. Cut off bunches with a 

 portion of stem attached, and spreau them 

 on cloths, under cover, to dry for a cay or 

 two, and then put them in the fuh sun to 

 harden. A shelf in a greenhouse is the 

 best place, because there is less fear of 

 them being scattered by wind. Label all 

 seeds when gathered, to prevent mistakes, 

 and of all hardy subjects sow a portion at 

 once, and keep the rest till spring. 



Greenhouse. — Agapanthus to have 

 abundance of water while throwing up 

 flower-spikes, and until the bloom is over, 

 then to be shaken out and parted, the 

 strongest crowns selected for next year's 

 bloom. Pot these singly in small pots, 

 removing with a sharp knife any of the 

 straggling roots that cannot be got into 

 the pots. The soil should be sandy loam, 

 rotten dung, and peat, equal quantities. 

 Shut them up, and reshift as soon as the 

 pots are full of roots. 



Aphelexis, Pimelia, Ixoras, etc., now 

 going out of bloom, to be cut back freely, 

 and put in a shady place, where sprinkle 

 their tops frequently, and keep their roots 

 rather dry till they break, when to be re- 

 potted. In repotting, use the compost rough 

 ami lumpy for all except young plants. 



Fuchsias to be propagated now in 

 quantity for next year's supply. The 

 smallest cuttings make the best plants, 

 and there is no need to cut to a joint. 

 A mild bottom-heat will hasten the forma- 

 tion of roots; but it is not needful, as if 



