CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR JANUARY. 



2.^' 



stand the changeable out-of-door 

 climate till the middle of May ; 

 thei-efore all preparations for early 

 flowers must be made by some kind 

 of protection until that time. Thus 

 Sweet Peas may be sown in pots, 

 to be placed in a cold frame, and { 

 these, with only tlie precaution of 

 covering from frost, will be fit to 

 turn out in a forward state as soon 

 as the Wf atlier renders it safe ; 

 whereas, if tliey were sown in tbe 

 open ground, they would hardly 

 liave come up. Many so-called 

 haidy annuals may be raised in the 

 same way, so that you may be in 

 full bloom before June is out, 

 while all those sown in the open 

 borders will be coming into tlower 

 by tbe time tlie tirst are out of 

 bloom or declining. Pots sown 

 with all or any of tbe annuals that 

 are usually sown in patches this 

 month may be hastened still more 

 by putting into the greenhouse ; 

 for they may be almost flowered 

 before they are turned out. Some 

 may be sown out of doors under 

 hand-glasses, to be covered every 

 nigl.t close down. Sweet Peas 

 may be sown in lengths or patches 

 in thickly-cut turves, which are 

 placed grass downwards on shelves; 

 and by cutting aslitoropeningslop- 

 ing, half an inch deep in the midst 

 of tbe soil and roots, and stuffing 

 the peas in at moderate distances, 

 and pressing the earth upon them, 

 they will advance as well as in 

 pots, and with this advantage — that 

 the tutf is removed whole and 

 inserted in the ground, affording 

 the best possible nourishment to 

 the plants. 



Auriculas. — Cover up well with 

 mats in frosty weather, but give all 

 the air possible on fine days. If 

 severe frost occurs by day they 

 should remain covered up. The 

 roots must not get quite dry, but 



it is equally imperative that the 

 soil be not kept constantly wet. 

 The drier they are wlien it is 

 necessary to cover up mtich, the 

 belter. When water is required 

 give it thoroughly, but let it be on 

 a mild day in the morning, with 

 full ventilation all tbe day. 



Anemones. — Treat the same in 

 all respects as Kanttnculuses. The 

 autumn planted want protection 

 by haulm or litter ; or, for want of 

 them, hoops and mats across the 

 beds. The common single Ane- 

 mones are much more hardy than 

 the double, and will stand a 

 smartish frost without any pro- 

 tection whatever. 



Beds of Flowers, especially when 

 tbe plants are small, should be 

 covered against frost ; but, if they 

 have not been, the plants should 

 be examined at every thaw, to see 

 that the roots have not been dis- 

 turbed, or, if they have been, to 

 press them down into their jjlaces. 

 Biennials and Perennials, gene- 

 rally raised from seed last season, 

 and not planted into their bloom- 

 ing places, may be got in at cnce 

 if the weather is fair and mild ; or, 

 if not, as early as this condition 

 exists long enough to admit of 

 their being got in. Newly-planted 

 subjects overtaken by severe frost 

 should be niulehed. 



Bnlb beds, in general, should be 

 covered duiing severe weather. It 

 is a good plan to cover the soil 

 permanently with a layer of six 

 inches of leaf-motdd, which can be 

 forked in as the spring advances. 



Carnations, I'icotees, Pin/fs, and 



Pansies in frames and boxes. — 



Those in small pots must be shut 



up in bad weather, and wet weather 



in particular. "VVe do not think a 



} frost would do the mischief tliat 



I wet would ; for dampness is fatal 



I to most things, but certainly when 



