THE OPENING YEAR 



rule. I will consider them in due course. All classes Jan. 

 of plants will then be dealt with at the appropriate 

 seasons. 



Before parting from the seed catalogues, I should 

 like to throw out the hint that those who like to 

 leave the choice of varieties to the dealer, merely 

 telling him the size of the garden, and inviting a quota- 

 tion for one of his special " collections," will get more 

 seeds for a given sum than by ordering the different 

 kinds individually. This applies equally to vegetables 

 and flowers. 



JANUARY— First and Second Weeks Jan. 



I said at the opening of the present chapter that 

 January is in the main a month of preparation. There 

 are rarely any outdoor flowers in the first half of the 

 month, although, if the winter be mild, there may be a 

 few stray blossoms on the coloured primroses, and an 

 early Iris or two may be open. In frames both Violets 

 and Irises may be in flower, but it will depend upon 

 the weather. The winter Jasmine will have seized any 

 opportunity of a mild spell to open her pretty primrose 

 blossoms, and the sweet, white, winter Honeysuckle 

 (Lonicera Fragrantissima), may be out. 



There will be plenty of flowers in the heated green- 

 house or conservatory, resulting from operations in 

 summer and autumn, which will be described at the 

 right time. 



Fruit trees are dormant, as are trees and shrubs, with 

 one or two exceptions. 



Hardy winter vegetables are in use, and others are 

 being forced. 



Let us take the different sections separately. 



