7 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 57 
For supplying the tanks there are nine huge reservoirs of a length, in the aggregate, 
of 263 feet, and a width of 53 feet. These are 20 feet below the surface, and contain 
800,000 gallons of water, one-fourths of which is fresh, and the remainder sea- 
water. The water will never be completely changed, but will be maintained in a 
clear, pure condition by a system of aération and circulation invented by Mr. W. 
A. Lloyd, naturalist to the establishment. 
Mr. Wills, the well-known floral decorator of Onslow Crescent, Brompton, has 
been entrusted with the embellishment of the main building with flowering and fine 
foliage plants, and under his direction a series of flower and fruit shows on a large 
scale, will be held during the year, in addition to concerts and theatrical enter- 
tainment, 
THE GARDEN GUIDE FOR FEBRUARY. 
** Blest be that hand divine, which gently laid 
My heart at rest beneath this humble shade! 
The world’s a stately bark, on dangerous seas, 
With pleasure seen, but boarded at our peril; 
Here, on asingle plank, thrown safe ashore, 
I hear the tumult of the distant throng, 
As that of seas remote, or dying storms, 
And meditate on scenes more silent still; 
Pursue my theme, and fight the fear of death. 
Here, like a shepherd, gazing from his hut, 
Touching his reed, or leaning on his stall, 
Eager ambition’s fiery chase I see; 
I see the circling hunt of noisy men 
Burst law’s enclosure, leap the mounds of right, 
Pursuing and pursued, each other's prey ; 
As wolves for rapine; as the fox for wiles; 
Till death, that mighty hunter, earths them all, 
Why all this toil for triumphs of an hour ? 
What though we wade in wealth, or soar in fame, 
Earth’s highest station ends in ‘‘here he lies,” 
And ‘‘ dust to dust” concludes her noblest song. 
Youne. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN 
The principal matters requiring attention during the month will be to keep the 
lawn well swept and rolled, to prick over the surface of shrubbery borders where it 
can be done without injury to the roots of the shrubs, and to roll the gravel-walks 
frequently. The chief plants that will bloom during the month, should the weather 
be open, are the white wall-cress, Arabis albida ; perennial candytuft, Iberis semper- 
florens ; Colchian barrenwort, Epimedium pinnatum elegans, Forsythia viridissma, 
a very attractive yellow-flowered shrub; the Laurestinus, Polygala chamebucus 
and Helleborus Olympicus. There must be no haste to dig borders in which bulbs 
and herbaceous plants predominate, or, indeed, any borders well furnished with 
permanent residents. The operation is sure to do more harm than good, and many 
a fine crown of pxony or rudbeckia, or other good subject, may be chopped to 
pieces. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Early sowings of seeds of summer crops should be made on warm, rather dry 
soils, the earlier the better. But on cold, damp soils there is really nothing gained 
by early sowing. ‘Take advantage of fine weather to have all digging and manur- 
ing completed ; in fact, let out-door work now take precedence of everything else, 
even to the neglect, if it cannot be helped, of other matters. Crops that are spe- 
cially valued for earliness, such as saladings, may be greatly helped by means of 
warm borders under good walls, and protection by means of borders covered with 
straw or mats. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Prune out-door vines, and train only ripe, hard wood, the distances between the 
rods to be eighteen inches. Complete all pruning and nailing of wall-trees not yet 
done, and lay a good mulch of fat dung on old borders that have not had such 
refreshing for some time. Trees that bear well must be fed well. Many cultivators 
are afraid to manure fruit-trees, for fear of inducing a gross habit, but this is sel 
February, 
