GREENHOUSE, WINDOW AND GARDEN. 



115 



WINDOW PLANTS. 



Plants in the window will require to be 

 watered thoroughly at this season of the 

 year, so that all the soil in the pot is moist- 

 ened. 



Pots of the hardy varieties of narcissi, 

 such as Von Sion, Horsfieldii, etc., should 

 not be allowed to dry out after flowering. 

 If kept growing they can be planted out in 

 the border in spring. If left undisturbed 

 for a year or two they will make a useful 

 and permanent addition to the border. 

 These bulbs may perhaps flower the second 

 year in the window, but they are uncertain. 

 Tulips and Dutch hyacinths can be treated 

 the same as recommended for the narcissi; 

 cuttings of fuchsias, geraniums, lemon- 

 scented verbena, and similar plants, will 

 strike readily in pots in sand now, if young 

 vigorous growth can be secured for cut- 

 tings. Begonia cuttings had better be left 

 until Apri^ or May before attempting to 

 strike them. A few pots of petunias, ver- 

 bena, cosmos and lobelia, should be sown, — 

 if these are grown — as they require to be 

 early to give good flowering results. 



Nasturtiums for window boxes should be 

 sown now, two or three seeds in a 3-inch 

 pot, is better than sowing them thickly in a 

 large pot, as they do not transplant as well 

 as many other varieties. Mignonette should 

 be sown eight or ten seeds in the same 

 sized pot as for nasturtiums, to secure early 

 flowers. 



Watch out for sudden dips of cold wea- 

 ther in March. 



Canna roots may be potted early in April 

 and grown on until it is time to plant them 

 outside at the end of May or early in June 

 when all danger of frost is over. Hydran- 

 geas, oleanders, and similar plants can be 

 brought out to the light, and started into 

 growth. Pot these into larger tubs now if 

 necessary, before they have made much 

 growth. 



THE GARDEN. 



Pruning should be finished up as early as 

 possible, especially grape vines and goose- 

 berry bushes. These require to be done 

 early to secure the best results from them, 

 but currant bushes and all fruit trees should 

 not be left too late before pruning. 



The matericjl for a hot-bed should be in 

 course of preparation. If the manure is 

 fresh from the stable, throw it into a heap 

 for a week or ten days. It should be turned 

 over once during that time if possible be- 

 fore making up the bed. A hot-bed, even 

 if ever so small, is very useful for a few pots 

 of early tomatoes, peppers, cauliflowers and 

 cabbage seed. If about six inches of good 

 soil can be put on top of the manure, some 

 lettuce, radish, and mustard can be sown 

 in rows. These will give a few dishes of 

 salad that will be both acceptable and health- 

 ful. 



Place an apple or sugar barrel, from 

 which the top and bottom ends have been 

 removed, over a clump of the earliest rhu- 

 barb. Cover the top of the barrel over at 

 night, or during cold days; this will pro- 

 bably give you a dish of rhubarb a week 

 earlier than unprotected roots will. 



Hardy roses should be pruned early in 

 April as soon as the buds show signs of 

 growth. 



If you have any tender perennial or bien- 

 nial flowering plants that are not protected, 

 more especially hollyhocks and biennial 

 campanulas, sprinkle a little long strawy 

 manure over them. It often happens that 

 these and similar plants are well protected 

 by snow during winter, but during the early 

 spring months are often exposed to severe 

 frosts at night, and hot sun in the day time. 

 This alternate freezing and thawing is very 

 trying to plant life. Many garden plants 

 that have pulled through the winter 

 splendidly under the snow, are killed 

 out bv the fickle and varied weather that 



