294 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR FEBRUARY. 



leave it to settle a few days. About 

 the second week lay tlie surface 

 level, and draw drills six inches 

 apart the whole length, and let 

 them be three inches deep; place 

 the tubers of the Eanunculus or 

 Anemone at the bottom, gently 

 pressing them into the soil; and 

 vlien all are placed draw the soil 

 partly back again, so that tlie 

 tubers may be covered to the 

 depth of two inches, and gently 

 press the soil down upon them. 

 Regulate the surface of the bed 

 so that the drills show, but that 

 the bed be left neat and clean. In 

 this state they may remain until 

 they are above ground. 



Jinnials. — One batch of these 

 may be sown in a hotbed, without, 

 however, having any violent heat. 

 Sow the different sorts in different 

 pots, and as they germinate they 

 may be placed where they will 

 have more or less heat and air 

 according to their requirements. 

 These will be among the earliest 

 and the principal potted annuals, 

 such as Phlox Drummondi, Rlw. 

 dunthe Manglesii, Balsam, Cocks- 

 comb, Ice plant, Sensitive plant, 

 Egg plant, which are all completed 

 in pots : it will make two seasons 

 by sowing now, and two months 

 hence also. 



By the end of the month a first 

 sowing of all the best annuals 

 may be made for planting out in 

 the borders. These are intended 

 to be grown in pots, and kept in 

 frames, and about May planted 

 out almost, if not quite, in flower. 

 All the most esteemed varieties 

 for ornament should be thus man- 

 aged, only a few of each being 

 raised as a first crop. Each kind 

 may be sown separately in a pot, 

 and the young plants potted as 

 Soon as large enough to handle, 

 three or six in a sixty-sized three- 



inch pot, according to the parti- 

 cular habit of each. The seed- 

 pots as well as the young plants, 

 when first transplanted, should 

 have a little warmth, or they will 

 not come so forward as will be 

 desired ; but the heat must be 

 vei7 moderate. A temperature 

 of 55°, maintained by means of 

 bottom heat, is quite enough, and 

 with this they should have abund- 

 ance of air. 



Auriculas should be towards the 

 end of the month cleared of their 

 yellow leaves, the surface of their 

 soil stirred, and the loose thrown 

 out, that they may be top-dressed 

 with light rich compost, com- 

 IDrising one part well -decomposed 

 poultry-dung, two parts perfectly 

 rotted cowdung, and three parts 

 sand ; or, for want of the poultiy- 

 dung, half cowdung, and half 

 sand. They should be well watered 

 j immediately without disturbing the 

 top, and shut up close in the 

 frames a whole day. Sow seed 

 lightly in pans or pots, and covet- 

 with damp moss. 



Bienuials should, if they are 

 not already in their blooming 

 places, be removed to them in 

 favourable weather. Wallflowers, 

 Sweetwilliaras, Canterbury Bells, 

 Rockets, and other subjects used 

 as ornaments on borders, should 

 be always placed there before they 

 make a great advance towards 

 blooming : the autumn is far bet- 

 ter than the spring on this account. 



Bulbs in the borders are making 

 their appearance ; but it would be 

 unsafe to fork the surface till it is 

 certain that they all appear, other- 

 wise those under the surface may 

 be spoiled by the fork. Most of 

 them will be little the worse for 

 frost. 



Carnations and Picotees will re- 

 quire to be potted in their bloom- 



