MAY. 



637 



MAY. 



occasionally stirred, and kept free from 

 dead leaves, and a sprinkling of fine fresh 

 soil added occasionally. All the side stalks 

 rising from the stem should be taken off, 

 leaving none but the top buds, shading the 

 pots from the midday sun. Pinks, as well 

 as carnations and picotees in beds, require 

 the same treatment. 



Crocuses, Snowdrops, &c. Spring cro- 

 cus, snowdrops, crown imperials, and all 

 other flowering bulbs, should also be taken 

 up when the leaves decay. It should 

 especially be practised in the case of bulbs 

 which have remained in the ground two or 

 three years and increased by offsets into 

 large bunches. These offsets are detached 

 from the principal stem, and each planted 

 separately. The larger roots, planted again, 

 bloom the following year, and offshoots 

 will probably bloom the year after. 



Dahlias. Dahlias potted off last month, 

 and hardened by exposure, may be planted 

 out about the third week. If the pots are 

 getting too small for the growing plants, 

 it is better to repot them in larger pots than 

 to plant out too early. 



Hollyhocks. Hollyhocks for late bloom- 

 ing may still be planted, as it is better, 

 where they are grown extensively, to plant 

 at two or three times to insure a succession 

 of bloom. 



Hyacinths. Hyacinths and tulips, ra- 

 nunculuses and anemones, formerly the 

 glory of our garden as so-called florists' 

 flowers, are now in full bloom ; and 

 although the roses, fuchsias, and a thou- 

 sand rivals, contend with them for pre- 

 eminence, they have still their phalanx of 

 admirers. The more valuable hyacinths 

 and tulips are planted in beds defended by 

 hoops, which, in hailstorms and heavy 

 frosts, are covered with mats. These 

 protecting coverings are now only kept 

 at hand ready to throw on when their 

 shelter is required either from the sun or 

 from sudden showers and hailstorms. By 



this means the blooming season for these 

 flowers may be prolonged for a fortnight 

 or three weeks, and their brilliancy in- 

 creased. 



Lawns and Walks. Grass lawns and 

 gravel walks should now be kept in high 

 order, the grass well mown once a week 

 if possible, and kept clean and orderly ;. 

 gravel walks kept free from weeds, and well' 

 swept and frequently rolled, especially after 

 heavy rains ; borders, beds, and shrubberies- 

 free from weeds, and where vacancies in 

 the beds occur, let them be supplied ; let 

 the earth be clean and well raked, and the 

 edgings, whether of turf or box, be kept in 

 perfect order. One of the principal points 

 in pleasure-ground scenery is the beauty of 

 the turf, which should be kept at all times- 

 well cut, but more particularly when, by 

 cutting the grass as low as possible, the 

 foundation of a close-bottomed turf will be 

 laid for the season. On poor sandy 01 

 rocky soil the verdure must be maintained 

 by occasional waterings with liquid manures, 

 or dressings with guano, leaf mould, or 

 decayed dung. 



Pansies. These may be planted for suc- 

 cessional beds. in a north border, in which 

 spring seedlings may be used. Plants in 

 bloom should be shaded at noon in sunny 

 days, and well watered in the evenings. 

 Blooms not required for seed should be cut 

 off as they fade, and side shoots taken off 

 and struck. 



Perennials, Propagation of. Perennials 

 may now be increased by cuttings of the 

 young flower stalks ; double scarlet lychnis 

 will grow freely so propagated. Divide 

 the young flower stalks into lengths, each 

 having three or four joints, and plant them 

 in a shady border of rich light earth about 

 4 inches asunder, two joints of the cuttings 

 being in the ground : press the earth round 

 the stem, and water them moderately,, 

 covering them with handglasses, and shad- 

 ing from the midday sun. All the fibrous- 



