DECEMBER. 



723 



DECEMBER. 



plants, if properly managed after flower- 

 ing, and removed from the forcing pit to 

 the conservatory late in September, will 

 now be in flower. 



December. Flower Garden, 

 Work in. 



Anemones, &C. Choice beds of ane- 

 mones, and, indeed, of all plants and bulbs 

 forming entire beds, should be sheltered in 

 bad weather, and the whole examined daily 

 to guard against accident and ward off 

 disease. 



Carnations, Pico fees, Pinks, &c. Pinks 

 and carnations, in beds, will require press- 

 ing firmly into the earth after severe frost. 

 Examine the beds for slugs in mild weather, 

 and see that the plants are not destroyed 

 by rats and mice. 



Dahlias. Dahlia roots stowed away in 

 cellars, &c., must be carefully and frequently 

 examined to see how they are keeping, and 

 any scarce sorts placed in heat towards the 

 end of the month, to ensure a large stock 

 before May. Carefully dry dahlia seed 

 preparatory to sowing in pans next month, 

 and see that all the labels are firmly 

 attached to the roots. 



Dressing with. Manure. The beds in 

 the flower garden, disrobed of their sum- 

 mer beauty, will either be furnished with 

 shrubs, herbaceous plants, annuals, or 

 bulbs, or simply roughed up for the winter. 

 Previous to either being done, they should 

 have received a liberal top-dressing of 

 manure. It is as vain to expect to grow 

 the majority of bedding plants successively 

 for years on the same soil without enriching 

 it, as it would be successful to produce 

 good vegetables on the same starving regi- 

 men ; indeed, many of these plants ver- 

 benas, for instance draw the soil as much 

 as a crop of cabbage. If every bit of weed, 

 short grass, and other refuse that comes off 

 the garden annually is conveyed to a heap, 

 occasionally turned over and saturated with 



; manure water, a most valuable dressing for 

 the beds will be provided at a cheap rate. 



Flowers in Bloom in December, <5rV. In 

 sheltered positions the yellow blossoms of 

 the leafless Jasminum nudiflorum are 

 conspicuous, and Daphne Mezereum, Chi- 

 monathus fragrans, the laurestinus, and 

 various ericas or heaths, show here and 

 there their pink, yellow, white, and scarlet 

 flowers. Alyssum saxatile, Arabis Alpi a, 

 and Myosotis dissitiflora are beginning to 

 open their blooms of yellow, white, and 

 pink ; and late in the month Helleborus 

 niger, the black hellebore, or Christmas 

 rose, will light up the sombre surface of the 

 nearly flowerless beds with its broad creamy 

 petals. 



Pansier The precautions desirable for 

 the preservation of pinks and carnations 

 are also necessary with pansies in beds in 

 the open ground. It is best to keep a 

 stock of autumn-struck cuttings of these in 

 pots to fill up blanks and to make good 

 accidental losses. 



Reserve Garden. Annuals, to stand the 

 winter here, will probably require some 

 slight protection. Carefully watch against 

 the inroads of mice, rats, snails, &c. Not 

 only bulbs, but even young plants, are 

 often devoured by the two former ; and in 

 mild winters a little black slug will clear 

 off whole beds of annuals. Let every 

 vacant space be roughly dug up, manured, 

 &c. 



Roots and Bulbs. Roots of various kinds, 

 and tubers of Marvel of Peru, dahlias, 

 gladioluses, salvias, &c., must be looked 

 to occasionally, to see that they are not 

 affected with damp or becoming rotten in 

 parts that have been bruised or injured in 

 any way. They must be kept in such a 

 way that frost cannot injure them, and the 

 best way to do this with regard to tubers is 

 to store them in dry sand. 



Roses. Roses may still be planted, 

 although the sooner this work is fin.sheci 



