CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR NOVEMBER. 



301 



of a shade close together. Single 

 and dwarf kinds make the best 

 general bed, and those who have 

 geometrical beds may so contrive 

 them as to have flowers two months 

 before the usual period by depend- 

 ing on bulbs. Hyacinths, in these 

 beds, must be all of a shade in the 

 same bed ; but, if you want effect, 

 you may have the lightest of the 

 reds inwards, the darker ones 

 further out, and the darkest 

 furthest. The same with the 

 blues : there are several shades, 

 and admirably calculated for effect. 

 These, planted in their beds nine 

 inches apart, would leave room 

 between for anything else to follow, 

 and the Hyacinth bulbs might, on 

 their removal, make room for the 

 third succession of some kind. For 

 instance, Tulips may be planted 

 between the Hyacinths, and the 

 Hyacinths taken up while the 

 Tulips are in flower may make 

 room for potted Stocks, or potted 

 Nemophila, or for plants of Ver- 

 bena, which will flower by the time 

 the Tulips are off, and so keep 

 up the bloom of the parterre. 

 Hyacinths in single long beds must 

 be arranged so as that no two of a 

 colour come together. 



Newly -planted trees and shrubs, 

 especially if at all tender, should 

 be. mulched; that is, the surface 

 of the soil, to the extent occupied 

 by the roots, and up to the stem, 

 should be covered by a material 

 which will keep frost from pene- 

 trating tiie soil, and thus favour 

 the growth of the recently-dis- 

 turbed roots. What the covering 

 is is not material ; such as littery 

 straw, moss, peas haulm, or even 

 sawdust and ashes may be used. 

 It is very important, also, that 

 newly -planted trees should be 

 staked, so as to ]>rovent their 

 being moved to and fro by the wind. 



Pansies in beds are apt to be 

 disturbed by frosts and thaws; 

 the changes expand the earth, and 

 frequently bare the roots of small 

 plants. To pievent this you may 

 be at the trouble of covering witli 

 mats or litter in frost, and keep- 

 ing them uncovered in mild 

 weather; but, unless they are 

 very choice, few take the pains, as 

 tliey are by no means a tender 

 plant. But they must be set to 

 rights at every thaw, and fixed 

 firmly. 



Pinks in their beds are apt to 

 be disturbed by worms, cats, 

 frosts, and thaws : they must be 

 examined occasionally until they 

 are very strongly rooted in the 

 ground, and, where any are dis- 

 I turbed, they must be pressed into 

 their places, with the earth close 

 about them ; and clear them of 

 weeds while weeds are small. 



Ranunculuses may be planted 

 six inches apart in good earth, 

 well worked, hut not mixed with 

 dung recently. A good layer of 

 rotten cowdung may be placed in 

 the bed at a foot deep, but the 

 earth in which the tubers are 

 placed should be loam from rotted 

 turves, or clean loam from a pas- 

 ture one part, and leaf-mould one 

 part, which is about an equiva- 

 lent : any well-worked earth from 

 a kitchen garden will be well 

 adapted. The easiest way to plant 

 these autumn-made beds is to 

 draw drills the length of the bed, 

 three inches deep and six inches 

 apart. You may then place in the 

 tubers with a slight pressure, six 

 inches apart in the rows. Others 

 draw the drills across the bed six 

 inches apart; but the easiest is 

 lengthways, and it can make no 

 difference unless people desire to 

 grow a row of a sort, when it is 

 better to cross the bed, because 



