HINTS FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 



and Pansy; and to these if you like, you may add, a small collection of bulbous roots, as 

 Crocuses, Hyacinths, Narcissus, &c. 



It will be more convenient for the planting out in the spring, if these are sown separate- 

 ly in small flower pots; but if you have not pots, they may be sown in separate small 

 patches, leaving just room enough between each to take them up when they are to be 

 transplanted in the spring, with a garden trowel, or a flat piece of thin board cut into 

 something of that shape. During the next two months you may take off the lights all 

 day, except in very wet weather. When the frost sets in keep them covered with the 

 lights, and at night, and in snowy weather, cover them over with the mat or board cover, 

 but during sunshine give all the light you can in, the day, by removing the mats. In this 

 way you will have, when the winter has broken up, and the ground has become fit for the 

 spade, a nice lot of things to turn out into your flower beds, and they will soon become 

 gay and blooming. Manage not to fill your frames quite full, but leave a part of one light in 

 which, in the beginning of Februarj^, you must put some light fine garden mold, and sow 

 in it small patches of the following seeds for your kitchen garden; early cabbage, lettuce, 

 and cauliflower; sow these very thin, and when well up, pull up a few to make room for 

 those left, to grow stronger. 



We will now leave the frame alone, and see what else has to be attended to — because, 

 with the above instructions, you will be able to take care of that through the winter — re- 

 membering if you find the earth in the pots to get dr}^, you must give a little water occa- 

 sionally, through the fine rose of a watering pot; but with care, for very little water 

 will be required. 



As soon as the leaves have fallen in autumn, let them be all collected and swept together 

 to commence what you will find the most valuable assistant to your gardening operation 

 or muck-heap. To these add all the refuse vegetable matter from your kitchen, such as 

 potato and turnep peelings, and any waste straw and litter that comes to hand. Throw 

 a sprinkling of earth upon this heap, which will hasten decay, and after a few weeks turn 

 it all over, with the same object; for, after every time that you turn a refuse heap, you 

 induce fermentation. Before frost sets in, dig over deeply your garden ground, or that 

 which you intend to make such, and lay it up in ridges for the winter. This materially 

 benefits it in very many ways, some of which are well known and understood, such as 

 the more complete destruction of vermin by greater exposure to frost, and the rendering 

 it more friable and more readily worked in spring; and others, which are equally well 

 ascertained, but not so generally known, as for instance, the increased facility thereby af- 

 forded for the absorption of ammonia from the atmosphere, which the ready permeability 

 of the ridges of loose earth, by the atmospheric air induces, in much greater quantity than 

 can take place when the earth is only just turned over a few inches, and left in a compa- 

 ratively even and somewhat firm state. 



In this way your ground may lay all the winter. If you happen to have any of the 

 more tender kinds of roses, as the varieties of the China or Bourbon, you will do well to 

 put them in the frame for the winter, where a number of them laid together, with their 

 roots covered over with mold, will keep well, and in a small compass, to be planted out 

 when you decorate your flower beds with the contents of your winter frame in the 

 spring. And any other common green-house plants or shrubs you may keep in the frame 

 also. 



Your garden, and your frame, will now be in a fair way for next years horticultural 

 campaign, and your occasional visits to the latter, and the daily attention to the coverin 

 and un-covering, far from being found a labor, will often, during the dreary season of win 



