GREEN HO USE, WINDOW A ND GA RDEN. 



mud, or any rich earth which has at least a 

 ■quarter of cow manure, and put in your Uly 



bulbs. Run in the water gently so as not 



to disturb the soil, and fill but a few inches 

 ■ above the bulbs. When they shows sig-ns 



of growing, add more water, until at length 



it is almost or quite full. 



When the water freezes to the depth of a 



half inch, reach down and remove the plug. 



and fill the tank full to the top with dry 

 leaves or loose hay, and lay boards over the 

 top. Any tender lilies like callas, should be 

 removed and either placed in the cellar in a 

 pail ot mud, or dried off. When the hard 

 frosts are over in the spring, remove the 

 litter, add a little well rotted cow manure, 

 and an)' new bulbs you wish, and gradually 

 refill with water. — Vt'ck's Magazine. 



GREENHOUSE, WINDOW AND GARDEN.— III. 



HE greenhouse and conservatory will 

 require extra care as the spring 

 approaches. Close attention will 



'^pi have to be given to watering all 

 plants thoroughly that are in full vigorous 

 growth, as well as those in flower. Shading 

 and ventilating will also be features of rou- 

 tine work, and the fires must on no account 

 be neglected during the treacherous weather 

 often experienced in March. Roses in pots 

 and those growing on benches will require 

 plenty of water, liquid manure once a week, 

 and syringing with clear tepid water once a 

 day, if possible, to keep them going. 



Azaleas, that have done flowering, should 

 be kept in a warm but not too sunny part of 

 the house. They require to be kept quite 

 moist at the roots and syringed daily, after 

 flowering, to encourage the new growth. If 

 necessary they should be re-potted after the 

 flowering period. 



Greenhouse ferns should be re-potted at 

 once, if not already done. It is always ad- 

 visable to re-pot ferns before the young 

 fronds have made much growth. An inch 

 of drainage in the pots, and a compost of 

 equal parts enriched loam, sand, and leaf 

 soil (or peat) suits nearly all ferns. 



Varieties of Rex Begonias may be propa- 

 gated now from mature leaves ; or the thick 

 fleshy stems, or rhizomes, can be cut into 

 lengths of aboiit two inches, and struck in 



sand. The base of the mature leaves with 

 about an inch of the stem attached — and the 

 latter inserted in sand so that its junction 

 with the leaf is just under the sand — will 

 strike readily and make much better plants , 

 than those grown from the thick stalks. 



Winter flowering begonias, when out of 

 flower, such as B. incarnata, B. fuchsia- 

 oides, B. foliosa, can be cut back a little ; 

 cuttings of these can be struck as soon as 

 the cuttings can be secured. Young plants 

 of these succeed better, as a rule, than old 

 plants kept over. Begonia rubra rebels 

 against much pruning, it needs liberal treat- 

 ment as to soil, potting, etc., but does not 

 like cutting back. 



The new begonia, " Gloire de Lorraine." 

 promises to be a valuable addition to winter 

 flowering begonias. It is inclined to be a 

 little fickle, and requires care in growing ; 

 but its large clusters of bright rose-pink 

 flowers, that it produces in such profusion, 

 gives even a small plant when in flower a 

 most beautiful appearance. It requires very 

 similar treatment to B. incarnata but is not 

 quite as robust as that variety, being more 

 of the habit of Begonia Bruantii. 



Tuberous begonias and fancy caladiums 

 mav be safely started now. Barely cover 

 the tubers, or bulbs, in sand in a warm part 

 of the greenhouse. Water them thoroughly 

 once, and never allow them to become quite 



