FEBKUARY VILLA GARDENING 523 



FEBRUARY 



Flower Garden and Shrubbery. — Proceed iu open weather 

 with the planting of deciduous trees and shrubs, inchiding Roses. 

 All new groimdwork involving the removal of tiu-f shoidd be 

 finished without delay. Herbaceous borders should be top- 

 dressed with maniu-e ; and the plants may, where too large, 

 be divided and transi^lanted. Top-dress weakly turf with artificial 

 manure, or with a mixture of soot, wood-ashes, and nitrate of 

 soda, using the nitrate at the rate of 3 cwt. to the acre. Plant 

 Box and other edgings. Turn over gravel walks, and stir the soil 

 freely among beds and borders of spring flowers. 



Fruit Garden. — Prune and train Apricots and Peaches 

 towards the end of the month. Prepare materials for protecting 

 the blossoms. Finish all priming of orchard trees without delay. 

 Top-dress any exhausted trees with manure. Give spare liquid 

 manure to any trees needing a concentrated stimulant. There is 

 yet time to plant young trees. Turfy loam placed within reach 

 of the roots of fruit trees has very gTcat value. 



Vegetable Garden. — Sow Peas and Beans in succession. 

 Peas and Beans are often started iu pots or boxes or in turves, in 

 gentle heat, and planted out when the weather settles. Work u}i 

 all arrears of manuring and digging. Plant Box-edgings. Sow 

 Horn Carrots, Radishes, and Lettuces, and plant Ashtop Potatoes 

 on early border. Transplant Cabl)ages and Lettuce. Give all 

 the air possible, when mild, to Cauliflowers. Stir the surface when 

 dry, and do not permit a weed, snail, or slug to live. Sow Romid 

 Spinach between the rows of Peas. 



Conservatory. — Prune Creepers which have done flowering. 

 Cut back Salvias and other plants whose season is past. Put in 

 cuttings of soft-wooded plants to raise young stock. Let nothing 

 suffer for want of water, and give as much fresh air as the natm-e 

 of the weather will permit. Sponge dirty foliage with soap and 

 water, and keep down fires to as low a point as possible consistent 

 with safety. 



Stove. — The general repotting of stove plants should take 

 place this month. All the handsome Creejiers, such as Allamandas, 

 Dipladenias, and all Ferns, shoidd have their annual shift now, 

 reducing the balls of the plants by shaking away as much of the 

 inert exhausted soil as can be done without injury. Ferns may 

 be divided for stock purposes. Start Gloxinias and Achimenes. 

 Repot Caladiums, Anthuriums, and Alocasias. Put in cuttings of 



