Flowers all the Year Round 



in pits and houses ; stakes and neat sticks to prepare for subjects 

 which will need support by-and-by ; beds and borders to enrich, 

 and many other duties to perform. In the evenings, too, there are 

 new combinations and fresh harmonies in colour to be designed for 

 beds and groups in borders ; the requirements for the coming season 

 to consider while experience gained during the closing year is still 

 fresh in the memory ; the position of plants in pits and frames and 

 houses to forecast, so that the plan of the summer campaign may be 

 clearly understood, and all the resources of the garden be under 

 intelligent control. The fluctuations of the thermometer have also 

 to be watched, and means adopted to save plants from injury by a 

 sudden fall of temperature. Altogether, there are abundant sources 

 of profitable employment for those who have a mind to work. 



Bulbs, such as Hyacinths, Tulips, Crocuses, &c., which have 

 not been planted, will have commenced growing, notwithstanding 

 the precautions taken to prevent it, thus showing that they ought to 

 be in the ground. The growth has been made at the expense of the 

 bulb itself, for there are no fibrous roots from which to draw support. 

 Therefore it can scarcely be expected that the flowers from them 

 will be quite so good as the same bulbs would have produced had 

 they been put in at an earlier period. Still there are cases when the 

 delay is unavoidable, and it is reassuring to know that sound bulbs 

 carefully set at the proper depth, will produce flowers only in a degree 

 inferior to those from earlier plantings. 



Bulbs in store, such as Begonia, Dahlia, Gladiolus, and Gloxinia, 

 should be passed in review. Examination will almost certainly reveal 

 some unsound specimens, and their removal may save valuable com- 

 panions from their contaminating influence. This practice should be 

 followed up about once a fortnight until all are eventually planted. 



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