FLORAL OPERATIONS FOR THE MONTH. 317 



or many will, in all probability, be destroyed. Where it is desirable to 

 leave patches of border flowers undistributed, reduce them to a suitable 

 size by cutting them round with a sharp spade. When it is wished to 

 have a vigorous specimen, it is requisite to leave a portion thus undis- 

 turbed. Ten-weeks' Stocks and Mignonette, in pots for blooming early 

 next spring, to adorn a room or greenhouse, must not be over-watered, 

 and be kept from frost. A cool frame, well secured by soil or ashes at 

 the sides, and plenty of mats or reeds to cover at night, will answer 

 well. During hard frosts, if additional soil be required for flower-beds 

 upon grass lawns, advantage should be taken to have it conveyed at the 

 time, so that the turf may not be injured by wheeling. Pits or beds 

 for forcing Roses, &c, should be prepared early in the month. Tan 

 or leaves are most suitable, unless there be the advantage of hot water 

 or steam. New-planted shrubs of the tender kinds should have their 

 roots protected by laying some mulch. Suckers of Roses, &c, should 

 now be taken off' and re-planted for making bushes, or put in nursery 

 rows. Soils for compost should now be obtained. Beds of Hyacinths, 

 Tulips, &c, should have occasional protection. Any roots not planted 

 may successfullj be done, in dry mild weather, tiil February. Sweet 

 Violets : plant these little gems as much as possible along the sides of 

 walks, near seats, rooms, banks, under trees, &c. ; they are so highly 

 fragrant as always to be acceptable, and more especially being early 

 spring flowers. Encourage all the spring ornaments as much as pos- 

 sible : Crocusses are pretty flowers, always gay in sunshine, and give a 

 peculiar cheerfulness to every place they occupy ; never be sparing in 

 quantity of them near a dwelling-house. Do not omit the first flower 

 that awakes thee from the repose of winter, 



" A flower that first in this sweet garden smil'd, 

 To virgins sacred, and the Snowdrop styl'd." 



IN THE STOVE. 



Aconites, Crocuses, Violets, Mignonette, Stocks, Tulips, Cyclamens, 

 Narcissus, Lilies of the Valley, Hepaticas, Primroses, China Prim- 

 roses, Persian Irises, Cupheas, Hyacinths, Pinks, Carnations, Tree 

 Carnations, Heliotropes, Scarlet Geraniums, Salvias, Gardenias, Roses, 

 Azaleas, Cinerarias, Jasmines, Honeysuckles, Deutzias, Rhododendrons, 

 Persian Lilacs, Rhodoras, Ribes, Mezereums, Correas, &c, required 

 to bloom from January, should be brought in early in t he present 

 month. The plants should be placed at first in the coolest part of the 

 house ; never allow them to want water. Pots or boxes containing 

 bulbous-rooted flowering plants, as Hyacinths, Narcissus, Persian Irises, 

 Crocuses, &c, should occasionally be introduced, so as to have a suc- 

 cession of bloom. Many persons who take a delight in growing 

 Hyacinths or other bulbous plants, for adorning a room or window, in 

 ■winter or early in spring, have been frequently disappointed by the 

 abortiveness of some and weakness of others. This principally arises 

 from the inability of the plant to develop itself with a rapidity equal to 

 the quantity of moisture it imbibes, on account of its upper surface 

 being acted upon too immediately by the atmosphere ; hence arises the 

 necessity of covering the bulb. That such is a fact is evidenced by the 

 admirable and certain success of nearly every bulb, especially Hyacinths, 

 that is covered with about six inches of old spent bark or ashes. This 



