28 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
glass houses, any number of interesting things may be found. A new and hand- 
some shrub, called Othera Japonica, is being grown in quantity, as it promises to 
add a quite novel feature to our gardens; it is a large-leaved, free-growing plant 
in the style of Ligustrum lucidum, and produces an abundance of scarlet berries. 
The Golden-leaved Laburnum makes a very distinct tree for the shrubbery, as it 
flowers freely, and its leaves are as yellow as its flowers, But the grandest of the 
novelties here is the glaucous variety of Picea nobilis, whick is, beyond all ques- 
tion, the finest promenade conifer known to our gardens. This glaucous variety 
grows as freely as the normal green-leaved variety, and its colouring is exquisitely 
beautiful. ) 8. H 
THE GARDEN GUIDE FOR JANUARY. 
Look how the flow’r, which ling’ringly doth fade, 
The morning’s darling, late the summer’s queen, 
Spoil’d of that juice which kept it fresh and green, 
As high as it did raise, bows lows the head : 
Just so the pleasures of my life being dead, 
Or in their contraries but only seen, 
With swifter speed declines than erst it spread, 
And, blasted, scarce now shows what it hath been: 
Therefore, as doth the pilgrim, whom the night 
Hastes darkly to imprison on his way. 
Think on thy home, my soul, and think aright 
Of what’s yet left thee of Jife’s wasting day ; 
Thy sun posts westward, passed is thy morn, 
And twice it is not given thee to be born, 
Wii1t1am DaummonD of Hawthornden, 
THE FLOWER GARDEN 
Simply requires to be kept tidy, for as regards work there is really not much to be 
done, but all earthwork and alterations should be pushed on whenever the weather 
permits, for interruptions and delays are sure to happen. The flowers to be looked 
for now, should the weather be mild for some time, are the Christmas rose, Helle- 
borus niger, and its near relative, H. olympicus; the winter aconite, Hranthis 
fyemalis ; the snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis ; the coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara; the 
common primrose, Primula vulgaris (syn. P. acaulis) ; and the lesser celandine, 
Ranunculus ficaria. In the event of severe weather there will be no flowers at all 
out of doors, but if the temperature continues high for tbe season for some time, very 
many plants will come into bloom, and one of the most welcome will be the Italian 
coltsfoot, Tussilago fragrans, the delicious almond odour of which will drive dull 
care away. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The work here should be carried on with vigour, forthe more ground you can get 
trenched up and manured now, the greater and the finer will be your crops of 
summer vegetables. It is usual to sow a few seeds ou warm slopes and in frames 
this month, but we really think it better to wait until February. Be careful never 
to cut the heads of Brussels sprouts until you have got all the good buttons, but you 
may now take the heads of all other winter greens that are worth cutting. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVA'TORY. 
Itis very important to hit upon the right temperature for everything under 
glass now, for we do not want anything to grow, but on the other hand, we do 
want to keep everything in health. The days are still so dark and short, that if 
plants are forced into growth by heat, the growth will be weak, and thin, and com- 
paratively worthless. But plants in flower, and plants coming into flower, must 
have warmth enough and all the light possible. When you look round at this 
time of the year, just rub a finger here and there on the glass inside the house, and 
if the finger is soiled, you may safely declare the glass wants cleaning. Light is 
life to all organized creatures, but more especially to plants. Men and horses may 
thrive in a coal mine, but neither pine trees nor pumpkins will grow there, and the 
men and horses require food that is, in the strictest sense, the product of sunshine. 
You hear (and see) how strikingly perfect one man’s plants are, while another can 
only grow middling stuff, or only rubbish. Now one step towards good plant 
