122 JFloral JVotes. 



have not repotted mine for five years, but every spring and autumn I dig out some 

 soil and put in new, mostly the black, soft, velvety muck that abounds in our swamps. 

 Let from four to six bulbs live in the same large pot. I used to think only one bulb 

 of either Calla or Amaryllis must occupy a pot. From each bulb I have four flowers 

 in a season, and sometimes more, and treated in this way, my Callas have been in bud 

 and blossom ten months of the year, or from September to July inclusive. When I 

 repot Amaryllis, to get bulbs to give to my friends, I often lose a season's flowering. 

 One that 1 disturbed last summer has missed its autumn flowering, and the other, not 

 disturbed, has given me four stalks of gorgeous, lily-like flowers." 



Slcklif I'lanfs. 



For sickly plants the best way is to turn them out of the pots, shake or wash oiF all 

 the soil from the roots, and, if any are decayed cut tliem oiF; also prune the stems 

 and branches severely and pot again in fresh soil. Set them away in a shady place 

 after giving water sufficient to settle the soil, adding a little from time to time as re- 

 turning health and growth appears. 



The EarHeMt Peas. 



Dr. Hogg reports, in the Journal of the Royal Hortirultural Society, experiments 

 with diflTerent varieties of peas : 



Carter's First Crop. — Sown February 23. Fit for use June 9. 

 DaJiitl O'Rourke. — Sown February 23. Fit for use June 12. 

 Early Emperor. — Sown February 23. Fit for use June 19. 

 Tom Thnmb.-^Sown February 23. Fit for use June 17. 



Vloiver Garden Jlintn. 



So many people say that their flowers, which once did well, do not thrive any 

 more; and the reason is incomprehensible to them. In n) any cases the trouble is 

 from worn-out soil ; and if a little manure, or a little fresh dirt, be added occasion- 

 ally, it is wonderful what an effect it will have on the renewed growth of half worn- 

 out root stocks. Some kinds of flowers soon grow surly and bad-tempered, unless 

 they have a complete change of earth once in a while. The verbena is of this char- 

 acter. In perfectly fresh soil — that is, earth which has never grown a verbena before — 

 it grows like a weed ; but the next year it is not quite so well, and in a few years it 

 absolutely refuses to creep, run or do anything ; and we are' forced to confess that 

 the verbena won't do for us as it used to years ago. 



Other flowers are not so stubbornly fastidious as the verbena; but still all more or 

 less like to feel rejuvenated by an addition of some kind occasionally to the earth- 

 blessings they have already been treated to. Almost all our best hardy flowers are 

 natives of woods or low, undisturbed lands, where the decaying leaves from the trees, 

 or the washings of higher surface laiids, make a new annual entertainment for them ; 

 and it has been found by experiment that nothing is so good for these pretty little 

 flowers as well-decayed leaf-mould from the woods, spread around the root stocks just 

 above the ground. But where this cannot be had, any other well-decayed vegetable 

 refuse that may be " laying around loose," will do very nearly as well. Strong, rich 

 manure — barn-yard manure — has not been found very good for garden flowers. It 

 makes the herbage too strong, and the flowers less in proportion. But if nothing 

 more natural can be got at to help the flowers along, and the soil seems exhausted 

 and poor, this will be found much better than leaving the plants to struggle along as 

 best they can. This is the time of the year to think of these things. — Ex. 



Jtetireil li'lotcei's. 



How beautiful are retired flowers! How would they lose their beauty were they 

 to throng into the highway, crying out, "Admire me, 1 am a violet ! " "Dote upon 

 me, I am a primrose I " — Keats. 



