1148 



KALENDARIAL INDEX. 



done before ; but defer planting bulbs of the finer 

 florists' flowers till February, unless the weather is 

 very mild. (6502.) 



Transplant (2079.) daisies, and other edgings, if 

 the weather is fine, and it was not done before. (6528.) 



Protect (2206.) choice plants by matting, litter, 

 cases of wicker-work, old bark, and all other proper 

 means, observing to do it with due attention to 

 neatness in this department of gardening. (2359.) 

 Attend to the finer sorts of tulips, which will emerge 

 from the ground by the end of the month ; hoop 

 them over, and apply mats. (6252.) Ranunculuses 

 and anemones, which have been planted in Novem- 

 ber, will require a similar attention. (6270.) 



7. Flower-garden. Hot-house depart- 

 ment. 



Glass case without heat. (2686.) Attend to the 

 alpines (6537.) : they should have air every dry day, 

 and must, in very severe weather, be protected by 

 mats, and even litter, to imitate their native snow 

 covering at this season. Mignonette and other 

 prolonged annuals, as stocks, sweetpeas, &c. will 

 require similar attention. (6486.) Look to choice 

 auriculas (6375.) and polyanthuses ((5398.) ; keep 

 them plunged in frames in old tan, or, what is better, 

 saw dust, or ashes. In general, never attempt to 

 keep a potted plant through the winter in a cold 

 frame, unless it be plunged, or the pots be standing 

 very close together. 



Hot-beds and pits. (2578.) Begin to force roses 

 (5218.) and other shrubs, and hardy flowers, as 

 well as bulbs, if you have not begun in November : 

 put bulbs in blowing-glasses. (6503.) 



Green-house. (6211.) Minim, temp, for this month, 

 40 deg., max. at fire-heat, 44 deg. See that the most 

 delicate plants be in the warmest part of the house, 

 in so far as is consistent with other arrangements : 

 give air freely in fine weather, and water at all 

 times sparingly. (6212 ) 



Dry-stove. (6176.) Min. temp, for this month 45 

 deg. with fire-heat ; water very sparingly, but give 

 Sir every fine day. (6212.) 



Bark, or moist stove. (6214.) The minimum tem- 

 perature for this department, with fire-heat, may be 

 58 cleg, and maximum 70 deg. : water and give air 

 with discretion. 



8. Pleasure-ground and shrubbery. 

 Plant (2077.) most sorts of deciduous trees in fine 



weather, and deciduous hedges. (6838. and 6816.) 



Prune (2110.) native and naturalised deciduous 

 shrubs and trees (6884.) ; cut deciduous hedges (6899) ; 

 attend to the weather: only the very hardiest 

 natives are to be cut during frosts and snows. (6889.) 

 Digging. (1864.) Continue this operation in the 

 interior of masses and groups, as well as in the 

 shrubberies and other screen plantations. Where 

 the exterior abounds with flowering shrubs and 

 plants, it should have been dug in autumn, and 

 must not be deferred till next month. 



Dress turf (6191.) and gravel (1957 ) : the former 

 may be done in moist, but the latter only in dry 

 weather. 



Form and repair lawns and turf verges, in mild 

 weather. (2100. and 2101.) 



9. Trees. Nursery department. 



Lay out (6973.) ground for a nursery, if not dono 

 in autumn ; gather all manner of tree-seeds. (6982.) 



Dig (1864.) and trench (1870.) vacant ground be- 

 tween the rows of plants, which are to stand a yea-- 

 longer : fill up any vacancies as you go along. (7470^ 



Lift (2081.) plants fit for planting out. 



Prune (2110.) nursery plants before planting : do 

 this in sheds, and keep the roots covered with mat- 

 ting or moss. 



Gather (2292.) cones of the larch and other firs, 

 and of the pine tribe. (6984.) 



Protect (2206.) beds of germinating seeds with 

 straw or litter ; put other tender seedlings in pots 

 under frames, or mats and hoops, from birds, mice, 

 snails, and other vermin. (2220.) 



Rotting-ground (6979.) : turn over the different 

 layers frequently, and see that none of them are 

 soaked with water. 



Seed-loft and cellar (6980.) : look to all the sorts 

 of seeds in these departments ; whether buried in 

 sand, or in heaps, layers, baskets, drawers, or bags. 



Destroy (2280.) vermin, and, in bad weather, cut 

 and paint tallies and prepare parchment labels, 

 number-sticks, hooks for laying, &c. (1517.) 



10. Trees. Permanent plantations and 

 park-scenery. 



Prepare (6817. "> ground for grove or screen planta- 

 tions; for useful strips ; for detached, and for hedge- 

 row trees ; and planting in general. (6878.) 



Plant (2077.), in dry weather, deciduous trees, 

 Scotch pine, and larch fir. (6997.) 



Prune (2110.) deciduous trees, and also larch fir 

 and Scotch pine groves (6892.), hedge-row trees, 

 and indeed deciduous forest-trees in every form 

 (6884.) ; cut and plash, repair and renovate, 

 and complete hedges of deciduous plants or trees. 



Enclose and fence (6820 ) ground intended to be 

 planted (6822 ) by posts and rails in all weathers 

 (6820.) ; but by mortar walls, in mild weather only. 

 (6823') 



Fell (6954.) timber-trees, where the bark is no 

 object. ,. . , " 



Thin (6905.1 crowded plantations, distinguishing 

 betweea such as consist of sorts fit for barking, or 

 transplanting, and sorts for consumption in any of 

 the usual forms of young trees, or coppices (6906. 

 and 6915.), and otherwise prepare for planting the 

 more extensive (6817.) sites. (6820. to 6851.) 



Excavate and remove ground for forming pieces 

 of water, &c. (1945. and 7217.) 



FEBRUARY. 



London 



Edinburgh 



Dublin 



Average of 

 the Ther- 



mometer. Average 



Greatest 

 Variation 

 from the 



42 3 

 36 6 



43 78 



Average 



of the 



Barometer. 



29 94 



29 55 > 



30 091 



0-S73 inch. 



1-269 



224 



1. Kalendar of animated nature round 

 London. 



In the first week : bees (Apis mellifera) come out 

 of their hives, gnats (Culex) play about, insects (Iiu 

 sectce) swarm under sunny hedges, and the earth- 

 worm (Lnmbricus terrestris) lies out; hen-chaf- 

 finches (Fringilla) flock, and the song-thrush, or 

 throstle ( Turdus musicus), and common lark (Alauda 

 arvensis) sing. . , 



Second week : the buntings (Embenxa alba) and 

 linnets {Fringilla llnota) appear in flocks ; sheep 

 (Ovis aries) drop their lambs; geese (Anas anser) 

 begin to lay. .. . . . . 



Third week: rooks (Corvus frugdegus) begin to 

 pair, and resort to their nest-trees ; house-sparrows 

 (Frinrtlla domestica) chirp, and begin to build ; the 

 chaffinch (Fringilla aelebs) sings. 



REMARKS. 



This month (the spring or sprout kale monfh of the Saxons) 

 is usually subject to much rain, or snow ; ei her is ac- 

 counted seasonable : the old proverb being, " February 

 fill dike with either black or white." Early forced articles, 

 and especially cucumbers and peaches, require great 

 care during this month ; when the sun does not appear 

 for several days, danger is to be apprehended from damps, 

 and at other times from chills. 



Fourth week : the partridge ( Telrao verdrix) begins 

 to pair, the blackbird (Turd-is merula) whistles, and 

 the field and wood larks (Alauda arvensis et arborea) 

 sing ; the hen (Phasianus gallus) sits. 



2. Kalendar of vegetable nature round 

 London. 



In the first week : the snowdrop (Galanthus ni- 

 valis^, whin ( Vlex europarus), white deadnettle (La- 

 mium alburn^, polyanthus (Primula vens) flowers ; 

 and the elder (Sambucus nigral, and some roses and 

 honeysuckles, begin to expand their leaves. 



Second week .- common crowfoot (Ranunculus re- 

 pens^, dandelion (Leontodon taraxacum), and the 

 female flowers of hazel (Corylus avellana) appear. 



Third week : veronica agrestis in flower ; many ot 

 the poplar and willow tribe show their catkins ; and 



