MONTHLY CALENDAR. 269 



between them, the tongs are gently drawn along the shoot, and the whole cargo 

 of pirates consigned to a well-merited ignominious death. 



725. Flower-Garden. — Yes, it is a, flotcer-garden now, and not a series of 

 beds for the plants to sleep away the winter in. Almost daily, something 

 fresh peeps out cautiously and stealthily, as if anxious to see and feel what 

 is going on above-ground, without being itself visible. Every day of 

 genial weather, however, imparts strength and inspires confidence, and a 

 number of flowers, either in embryo or further advanced, greet us with their 

 gladdening look of beauty. The Snowdrop, that has so cheerily nodded its 

 *' How d' ye do, right glad to see you," for the last month or six weeks, is now 

 putting off its vestal robes and going into widowhood and desolation for ten 

 long months ; but the Crocuses are now in full glory, and a brilliant display 

 they make ; while Tulips, Narcissi, Crown Imperials, Cyclamens, Ixias, Scillas, 

 and Hyacinths, hasten forward to uphold the matchless supremacy of bulbs as 

 the most beautiful of all spring flowers. The double-blossom Furze, deciduous 

 yellow Jasmines, scarlet liibes, Almonds, Heaths, Daphnes, Snowy Mespilus, 

 Magnolia conspicua, holly-leaved Berberry, Saxifrages, Orobus, Calycanthus, 

 &c. &c., weave a floral garland of which any month, not excepting June even 

 might be proud. This increase of beauty points out our duty, and defines the 

 routine work for the month. The more beauty in the garden, the better it 

 must be kept ; for slovenliness and dirt are never so intolerably hideous and 

 unbearable as when seen in juxtaposition with their opposites. Therefore 

 grass lawns must be frequently swept and rolled ; gravel walks turned, fresh- 

 gravelled, raked, rolled, and swept ; edgings cut, planted, or altered ; and all 

 planting, pruning, and digging, finished as soon as possible. This is also a 

 good season to remove plantains and daisies from the turf, and to sow gi-ass- 

 seeds for new lawns. Fork over flower-beds on frosty mornings, to expose a 

 fresh surface to the atmosphere, and provide a finely-pulverized soil for the 

 roots of bedding-plants. Stir the surface by flat-hoeing, or deep rakino- 

 among borders of annuals and bulbs. Complete pruning and training 

 Clematises, Jasmines, Bignonias, and other creepers on trellises, Eemove all 

 pninings and winter rubbish, to be either rotted or charred, and see that the 

 entire garden has a cared-for appearance. 



726. This is the proper month for planting all the hardy Gladioli. If they 

 were taken up in November and kept in a proper temperature, they will now 

 be starting, and should be planted at once. They grow well in an}' rich 

 garden soil. I have grown Boioiensis, a fine, rich, light scarlet variety, which 

 I believe was raised in Suffolk, and is not yet in the London trade, exten- 

 sively for several years. Drills are drawn on beds or borders about four inches 

 deep, the bulbs inserted, and covered over with the soil. Stakes about two feet 

 high should be put in at the same time, aa, if inserted afterwards, they might 

 injure the bulbs. The distance between the bulbs should be from nine inches to 

 a foot. Nothing can exceed their brilliancy when in flower. My employer 

 calls them Her regiment of soldiers ; and their regal habit and noble mien 

 justify the title. The beautiful spear-shaped leaves, of a bright green hue. 



