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HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



FEBRUARY. 



GREEN-HOUSE AND WINDOW PLANTS. As the 

 days begin to lengthen, indoor plants seem to 

 take a fresh start and begin to grow and flower 

 vigorously. Many of the sorts will require re- 

 potting; Gesneras, Gloxinias, Achimenes, and 

 kindred tubers, may now be looked over, and a 

 portion of them potted and placed in a warm 

 corner to start for early flowering. Old Fuchsias, 

 Geraniums, Abutilons are now sending forth 

 strong, young shoots, which may be propagated 

 as soon as they are large enough to handle. 

 Annuals for early summer blooming, such as 

 Petunias, Verbenas, Cobsea scandens, Cannas, 

 Castor Oil Beans, Centaureas, etc., should now 

 be sown in shallow pans or boxes and trans- 

 planted as soon as fit to handle. Tuberoses 

 for early flowering, and Dahlia roots, if put in a 

 gentle bottom heat, will now start, the former to 

 be potted off as soon as the young roots appear, 

 and the young shoots of the latter propagated in 

 the usual way. The general directions as to venti- 

 lation, cleanliness, etc., for January apply to this 

 month ; insects being rigidly kept down, and 

 sufficiency of water with an occasional supply 

 of liquid manure being given to such plants as 

 begin to grow freely. 



FLOWER GARDEN. But little can be done 

 here, only to follow the instructions given last 

 month. Prune deciduous trees and shrubs, and 

 give the lawn and grass plots a good top-dressing 

 of well-rotted manure, or what is better, of bone- 

 meal ; there are no weed seeds in the latter. 



FRUIT GARDEN. In the Northern States, 

 little can be done except to prune any trees or 

 vines that have not yet been seen to, and to 

 clear the limbs of any moss, fungus or insects 

 that may be harboring under the old bark. In 

 many Southern States this will be the best 

 month for planting fruit trees and plants of all 

 kinds, particularly Strawberries, Raspberries, 

 Blackberries, Pear and Apple, while Grape-vines 

 will do well a month later. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. Leaves from the woods, 

 horse-manure, and any litter that may be col- 

 lected, should be turned over several times and 

 thoroughly mixed together, so as to get it sweet- 

 ened preparatory to forming hot-beds (see Heat- 

 ing by hot-beds) on which Early Cabbages, Let- 

 tuce and Radishes may be sown as soon as 

 the frame or hot-bed is in condition. It is now 

 the proper season to force Asparagus, Rhubarb, 

 Sea-kale, etc., as they will (being so out of sea- 

 sou) give great satisfaction to many epicures. 

 As Parsley seed germinates but slowly some 

 should be sown for early planting. Mint may 

 also be had by putting a few plants in the hot- 

 bed. Manure that is to be used for the crops 

 should be turned and broken up as fine as possi- 

 ble ; for the more completely manure of any kind 

 can be mixed with the soil, the better will be 

 the crop, and, of course, if it is dug or plowed 

 in in large, unbroken lumps, it cannot be prop- 

 erly commingled. 



MARCH. 



GREEN-HOUSE AND WINDOW PLANTS. As the 

 spring advances, and more light and sunshine 

 prevail, plants soon begin to show the stimulus 

 by vigorous and rapid growth. It is necessary, 

 therefore, to examine all plants that are grow- 

 ing vigorously, and, when deemed necessary, 

 shift into larger-sized pots. (See Potting.) The 

 propagation of plants such as Alternantheras, 

 Coleus, Achyranthes, etc., to supply the flower 

 garden may also be continued with vigor, and 

 those propagated last month should be growing 

 luxuriantly, and be shifted into larger pots as 

 required. They must not be allowed to suffer 

 for water or moisture, and will always show the 

 benefit of being well syringed or watered over- 

 head. On fine days air must be admitted freely 

 to all plants, carefully avoiding cold draughts. 

 Insects of all sorts must, of course, be kept 

 down, and copious waterings of manure- water 

 will be advantageous to all plants likely to get 

 pot-bound. House plants should be kept as 

 near the glass as convenient, and should be 

 turned round frequently to prevent them from 

 becoming one-sided. All climbers, such as 

 Bignonias, Cissus, Passion-flowers, etc., planted 

 in tubs or in the borders of the green-house or 

 conservatory, should have a liberal top-dressing 

 of rich compost ; all the old top soil possible 

 removed before it is applied. Flower seeds 

 sown last month will be large enough to prick 

 into shallow boxes of good soil as opportunity 

 may offer, and may be kept there until ready to 

 plant in the open border. Caunas may now be 

 divided and potted, also Colocasias and other 

 ornamental Arads ; Lemon Verbenas, Hibiscus, 

 Hydrangeas, and other plants that have been 



kept dormant all winter, top-dressed or re- 

 potted, and started to. grow for summer use. 



FLOWER GARDEN. All planting and pruning 

 of vines, shrubs or trees must be finished as 

 soon as possible this month, and vines and 

 climbers that require it tied up. Any removal 

 of shrubs to prevent overcrowding, or trim- 

 ming in overgrown specimens, must be attended 

 to without delay ; single specimens are always 

 admirable objects. The herbaceous border may 

 be re-arranged, the rock-garden overhauled, and 

 walks and roads attended to, with new gravel, 

 etc., whenever the weather will admit, and 

 thoroughly rolled. The bulb beds should be 

 gradually uncovered, lawns raked off and top- 

 dressed (if not done before) with rich, well- 

 rotted manure, bone-meal, or similar fertilizer; 

 new lawns may also be sown if soil is dry^nough, 

 and flower-beds dug up, to have them In good 

 order for the spring planting, and all improve- 

 ments, such as grading, draining, sodding, etc., 

 finished up as soon as possible. 



FRUIT GARDEN'. Planting may now be done 

 safely in light, dry soils in many sections, still 

 it is not advisable to plant before the ground is 

 dry. It is bad to do so even in light soils, but 

 it is utter destruction in stiff and clayey ones. 

 Great care should also be exercised that 'the 

 roots are not frozen when exposed, for although 

 a tree or plant will receive no injury ichen its 

 roots are in the soil, should a frost come after 

 planting, yet the same amount of freezing would 

 greatly injure the plant if the roots were uncov- 

 ered and exposed. Thousands of trees and 

 plants fail every year from this cause. They 

 are exposed for sale in our markets with no 



