324 CALENDAR UP OPERATIONS. [CHAF. XII. 



them like bracelets of small beads. These 

 should be burnt, as they are too hard to be 

 crushed. The eggs of the vapourer moth will 

 be found on the outside of the cocoon, looking 

 like a bag of spider's eggs. A very small 

 scale-like insect will also sometimes be found 

 on the bianches of the rose trees, which should 

 be carefully removed. Indeed, as a precau- 

 tionary measure, it is well to brush the branches 

 of all the rose trees in this month with soft soap 

 and water, to destroy any eggs that may be 

 adhering to them. Sometimes trees and shrubs 

 are planted in January, if the weather be favour- 

 able, but this it very seldom is, as, if not frosty, 

 it is generally very wet. 



In the kitchen-garden, the fruit trees and 

 shrubs, particularly the gooseberries, should be 

 carefully examined for the eggs of insects ; and 

 the trunk and bianches of all suspected trees 

 and shrubs should be brushed with soft soap 

 and hot water. 



February. — In this month, if the weather be 

 favourable, the gardeners " dress" their beds; 

 that, is they dig and rake them, manuring 

 them if necessary. In the flower-garden, the 

 California!! annuals, that had stood the winter 

 in some waste part of the grounds, are now 

 brought forward by spadefuls, and laid over the 

 beds intended for them. The early bulbs, such 

 as the snowdrop and the Scotch crocus, begin 

 to appear ; and here and there a splendid 

 cloth of gold crocus glitters among them, in its 

 rich livery of yellow and brown. The winter 

 aconite and the beautiful hepaticas are now in 

 full glory; and, in short, all nature appears 



