THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 347 



dry fire-heat, and a too dry state of the roots. But they will want very little 

 water at this time of year, and should have no encouragement to grow. 



Forcing of Flowers to be commenced now. First clean the glass, to make 

 sure of the utmost possible amount of light ; then get together the fermenting 

 materials — leaves and sweet dung chiefly — and over this lay six inches of tan or 

 spent hops to plunge the pots in. Put in nothing but what has beea prepared for 

 the work, and has ripe wood and well-formed flower-buds. Azaleas, Camellias, 

 Gardenias, Koses, hybrid Khododendrons, double Plums and Peaches, double 

 Cherry, Weiselias, Tree Pitionies, Cliimonautbus fragrans, Rhododendron ciliatum, 

 Cytissus Atleeana, Kalmias, Andromeda floribuncia, Daphnes, and Jasminium 

 nudiflorum, are all cheap and easy subjects to fojce, and all beautiful in their 

 season. 



Frozen- Plants. — The amateur must alivays bear in mind that plants kept dry 

 and Well aired can endure two or three degrees more frost than plants of the same 

 kind in a more damp condition. As with tiie best precautions valuable plants will 

 sometimes get wholly or partially frozen, a word of advice now may be useful all 

 the winter through. To recover frozen plants, the safest procedure is to keep them 

 in ilie dark till they thaw, and to let the thawing- take place slowhj. A dry, still 

 air is also essential ; a frozen plant placed in a draught, in the sunshine, or in 

 undue warmth, even if in darkness, will probably go to a pulp as soon as it is 

 completely thawed ; but if thawed slowly in dark and stillness, will recover, if the 

 freezing has been only to a moderate degree. 



GiiEENnousE. — At every opportunity remove dead leaves, trim away dead 

 snags or mildewed shoots, give water if needful, and see that the drainage of the 

 pots is safe. Use tepid water to all plants in a growing state, and as little as pos- 

 sible to everything. 



Hekbs should be taken up and potted, in case of severe weather. Parsley and 

 mint are generally scarce in February, because there is no care taken in time to 

 secure supplies. Large roots of parsley potted now will keep green and fresh till 

 wanted. Tue roots of mint should be potted in leaf-mould, and the plants plunged 

 in an asparagus bed, or placed on a flue to force it gently. Parsley may also be 

 protected on the ground by means of hooped mats and litter. 



Hyacinths that have filled their pots with roots may now be pushed on by 

 placing them over a mor'erate bottom-heat. In the early vinerj the dung-bed will 

 answer admirably, as tho vapour will give the foliage a green, rich healthy hue, 

 and the flowers will come in fine spikes. 



Kitchen' GAra)EX. — The most excellent results may be insured by deeply 

 trenching the soil, and laying it up in ridges, to be fully exposed to the weather. 

 Many really bad soils become good soils when broken up deeply and mixed with a 

 portion of the subsoil, even though that subsoil may be by itself as bad as the other. 



Easpbekries to have the old canes cut away, the new canes thinned to three or 

 four of the strongest to each stool, and a good mulch of half-rotten dung laid down 

 over their roots. 



Roses are frequently left in " by the heels " .for weeks together at this time of 

 year. It is very bad practice ; the fiost is sure to get to their roots ; and in the 

 event of mild and moist weather they are sure to throw out fresh roots, and those 

 fresh roots are sure to be destroyed when they are removed to be properly planted. 

 Therefore plant at once, head them up firm, and stake seciirely. 



Seakale may be planted now in well-prepared ground in well-drained positions. 

 The ground must bo deeply trenched and liberallj' manured, and the manure tho- 

 roughly incorporated witli the soil. Begin forcing now by first covering the stools 

 with conical mounds of sand or coal-ashes (not leaves, which spoil the flavour). 

 Place the seakale pots over as many stools as are to be started now, and fill the 

 spaces between and over the pots with a mixture of stable dung that has been once 

 turned, with leaves, straw, and other litter, beating it firm as you proceed, and 

 leaving the whole smooth and tidy nine inches above the top of the pots. 



Succulent Plants must now he arranged in their winter quarters. In a 

 mixed collection, the best place for them is a top shelf iu the full light, aud where 

 they are not likely to suifor by drip. 



November. 



