THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 31 



flowers, and cabbage, for early planting, and also for raising half-hardy anniials, 

 such as asters and stocks. The best radish for frame culture is "Wood's short-top 

 scarlet. No. 4. We have advised borders filled with herbaceous plants not to be 

 dug when the plants are at rest, because of the risk of a large portion of the stock 

 being injured in the operation. When done carefully, as in your case, it is most 

 beneficiiil to the plants, and also gives the border a more tidy appearance. No. 5. 

 The Weigela will require very little pruning. Some of the longest shoots may be 

 shortened back, some time in February, and a few of the weakest shoots where the 

 wood is crowded, may also be thinned out. 



Name of Plant. — X. Z., Bretlands.— The plant is most probably Pelargonium 

 spinosum. 



Tuberoses. — S. M. Carwardlne. — The bulbs should have been kept in the 

 pots until they were at rest. As a rule, however, they are of very little use after 

 they have done flowering. The young bulbs are of no value, and they may there- 

 fore be taken off and destroyed. 



Trees for Shelter.— i/".i^. — As the lawn is in an exposed situation we think 

 your idea of enclosing the lawn with a belt of free-growing trees such as you 

 name, a good one, as they will serve to shelter the choicest subjects. We should 

 make two belts, one for the Scotch firs and other hardy trees, and the other for 

 the shrubs. In the outer belt we should plant three rows of Scotch ai.d spruce 

 firs, with a few larch. The latter will do well in a high and exposed position, but 

 as it grows thin andjoses its foliage through the winter, it is of verv little use 

 for protective purposes. In the inner belt we should plant Abies Dozig'lassi mther 

 extensively, A. nigra, Cedriis atlantica C. libani, (the cedar of Lebanon), Finns 

 austriaca, P. Lambertiana, P. strobus (the Weymouth Pine), Thuja crientaJis T. 

 gigantea, T. Lohhi, Taxvs haccata, T. baccata nigra, T. fastigiafa {Irish yew). 

 The foregoing are all good and hardy, and we should prefer having several plants 

 of a few kinds that will do well to one plant each of a large number of kinds. We 

 should plant little else beside evergreens for mixing with the above. If you use 

 many deciduous trees or shrubs, the lawn will be without shelter in the" winter 

 which is just the time it is most required. Plant the common Tree Box and the 

 broad-leaved variety, B. latifolia, the common Laurel, and the handsome hardy 

 Colchitan. Almost any of the Sollies will suit you; PKiUyrea media and the 

 evergreen oak, Quercus ilex, are also good. You had better plant the whole of the 

 subjects rather small, for there is a great risk of their perishing if laro^e. 



Shrubby Veronicas. — P.P. — Veronicas are, comparatively speaking, easy to 

 grow, and when done well they are grand subjects for conservatory decoration 

 through the latter part of the summer. Small plants can be grown without any 

 special training ; but larger specimens will, of course, require a little attention in 

 that way. Those intended for growing into specimens should be potted on as re- 

 quired through the first season and kept tied out, and the young shoots pinched 

 back, to get them into a good shape. Use. for potting, good turfy loam two parts 

 and a third part of equal quantities of leaf-mould and rotten dung, and give the 

 last shift not latter than September. Keep the pLants rather dry throuo-h the 

 winter, and prune and start early in March. After the young buds are nicely 

 started shift the small plants into larger pots ; but the large plants should be taken 

 out of the pots, the ball reduced, and repotted into the same sized pots a<»ain. 

 Water liberally when the plants are in full growth, and give them a weak dose of 

 manure-water once or twice a week. The plauts may be set out of doors through 

 the early part of the summer to make their growth, if the space under class is 

 limited. The second season the young shoots must not be pinclied but trained out 

 neatly, when they wUl continue ti) produce their beautiful spikes of flowers for a 

 long time. Several varieties do well as standards ; grown that way they make 

 capital suVijects for mi.xing with other plants. 



Read's Slow Combustion Boiler. — Amateur. — We can say much in praise 

 of this boiler. In economy of fuel, efficiency in action, aud simplicity of construc- 

 tion and management it is just the thing for a tenant at will, who cannot com- 

 fortably put up brickwork on substantial foundations. The only fault we can find 

 witli it is that the outer jacket is thin. We had several examples of this inven- 

 tion imder observation during the past winter, and in each case they have given 

 complete satisfaction. These boilers should always be under cover of some sort. 



EaicAS AND Er-AC'Ris. — Imqnirer, — Heaths and cpacrises are not of the same 



Jen-jary. 



