FLOWER GARDEN. 591 



them, on which to lay thick mats in wet or frosty weather. But in 

 February, and early in March, while the frost is in the ground, or 

 the leaves in a frozen state, and especially if they had been covered 

 with snow, you must be particular not to expose them to a hot sun, 

 which would be almost certain death to them. 



DOUBLE DAISIES. 



The beds wherein were planted your double daisies, &c., as directed 

 in October, page 568, should towards the latter end of this month, 

 or when the frost is likely to become severe, be protected occasionally 

 therefrom by a covering of mats, or when very severe, boards and 

 mats, but let them have the benefit of the air as long and as often as 

 the weather is mild ; observing always to defend them from heavy 

 rains and snow, either of which would have a tendency to rot and 

 melt them away. 



Daisies will survive the winter in a warm border, covered with a 

 light coat of clean straw, which should be taken off and laid on occa- 

 sionally in mild weather to air and harden the plants ; but these 

 will not blow as well nor as early in spring as those taken better 

 care of. 



The daisies which were potted in September or October with a view 

 to force them in winter, should be particularly attended to during 

 the whole of this month, in order to strengthen and encourage their 

 growth. But if the potting of them were omitted, it should be done 

 in the beginning of this month ; selecting for that purpose the largest 

 and best plants, and carefully removing them with good balls of earth 

 round their roots. 



PROTECTING SEEDLING BULBS. 



You should now plunge the pots or boxes in which you sowed the 

 seeds of bulbous-rooted flowering plants, and also those containing 

 the one or two year old seedling bulbs, up to their rims or edges in 

 a raised bank of light, dry earth, or you may set them on the bank 

 and fill the spaces between them with tanner's bark, or leaves of 

 trees well crammed in ; then on the approach of severe frosts cover 

 them all over with dry straw or peas-haulm, which is to be taken off 

 occasionally in mild dry weather, and aired, in order to prevent its 

 getting mouldy, and communicating the disorder to the seeds or roots. 



STOCKGILLY-FLOWERS AND WALL-FLOWERS. 



Your double stockgilly-flowers and wall-flowers in pots should now 

 be either taken into the green-house or warm close rooms, or plunged 

 to their rims in a dry, warm exposure, surrounded with a deep garden 

 frame, where they may be protected during winter. These plants 

 being tolerably hardy, will keep well by a very slight protection of 

 boards and mats, or boards covered with straw or other litter when 

 the frost is severe: they will seldom be injured before February, but 

 a warm sun about the end of that month, if suffered to shine on 



