i6 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Fig. 2558. Begonia Manicata A.urea. 



time. Even then it is difficult to pull them 

 through the changeable weather often ex- 

 perienced in late winter and early spring". 



BOEDERS. 



Bulb Beds or Borders. — Beds or even 

 clumps of bulbs in borders that have been 

 protected during winter are oftentimes 

 uncovered too hastily in early spring. 

 Take the winter covering from these by 

 degrees as warmer weather approaches. 

 Examine the beds or borders about the end 

 of March or early in April. If the frost is 

 out of the covering, remove the wettest and 

 most rotten part of the covering, replacing 

 the drier portion of the covering and allow 

 it to remain until more settled and warmer 

 spring weather prevails, when it can be 

 taken away altogether. This method of 

 uncovering protected plants will apply 



equally to all winter protected shrubs and 

 plants. Never expose suddenly and entirely 

 any tender plant or bulb, to the uncertain 

 weather conditions of late winter or early 

 spring. Always remove the covering from 

 winter protected plants in dull showery 

 weather if possible, as the bright sunshine 

 is often as hurtful to tender plant growth 

 in early spring as frosts. 



WINDOW PLANTS. 



Flowering Bulbs.— Pots of any of these, 

 such as Narcissus, Tulips and Hyacinths, 

 should have a plentiful supply of water after 

 they are well started into growth or when in 

 flower. When the flowers have faded do 

 not withold water entirely from the plants, 

 more especially the various kinds of Nar- 

 cissus and Tulips. When the flowers of 

 these begin to look shabby stand the pots 

 a little in the background, where they 

 can still have some light and perhaps a 

 little sunshine, and dry the soil up gradually 

 in the pots. Possibly the foliage will keep 

 fresh for a week or two. When it shows 

 signs of decay give the plant less and less 

 water until the foliage has become quite 

 yellow. In early spring plant the bulbs out 

 in the open border as soon as the ground is 

 in proper condition. Place a good sized 

 stake to mark the spot where they are 

 planted, and do not disturb them when dig- 

 ging the border. It may be two years 

 before you get much bloom from them, but 

 if they are left undisturbed they generally 

 give good and constant results year after 

 year when once they become established. 

 Bulbs forced into flower early in the season 

 in pots are of very little if any use for pot 

 culture the second season. Most varieties 

 of the Narcissi naturalize well when planted 

 in the open ground, and are quite hardy. 



Freesias. — These should not be dried off 

 hastily. Give them water less frequently 

 after they are out of flower, until the foliage 

 is quite yellow, when no more water should 



