JANUARY FLOWER GARDEN. 9 



should be propagated from cuttings of young wood, 

 the old, hollow steins being quite unfit for the pur- 

 pose. Keep the cuttings shaded, and sprinkle fre- 

 quently, but let the soil of the cutting-pans be only 

 moderately moist, but only the choicest varieties need 

 be treated in this manner, as better plants can be 

 raised annually from seeds which may be sown as 

 soon as ripe. Beds about to be planted to stand 

 over the winter should now be deeply dug and 

 manured, which will tend to reduce wireworm, as they 

 will be turned up in the process and can then be 

 destroyed. After the beds are made ready, set traps 

 for vermin, and persevere to get the ground clean, as 

 the losses in winter often arise through the eating 

 away of the roots by marauders. Roses may now be 

 struck in any quantity in a cool frame, or under hand 

 lights placed on a shady border. Choose short-jointed, 

 half-ripe shoots for the purpose, and keep them shaded 

 and frequently sprinkled. Cut out all gross shoots 

 and remove decaying flowers. Bedding Plants. 

 Begin at once to make lists of sorts likely to be 

 required next year, in order to have time to propa- 

 gate. Put in plenty of Geranium cuttings ; an open 

 border suffices for them, if shady so much the better, 

 but they require to be kept regularly watered until 

 they begin to make root. Saving Seed. Many choice 

 border plants are now ripening their seeds, and what- 

 ever is required must be secured in time. It is 

 generally safest to gather the seed before it is dead 

 ripe, as in many cases the pods open and the seed is 

 scattered and lost. Cut off bunches with a portion 

 of stem attached, and spi'ead them on cloths under 

 cover, to dry for a day or two, and then put them in 

 the full sun to harden. A shelf in a greenhouse is 

 the best place, because there is less fear of their being 

 scattered bv wind. Name all seeds when gathered, 

 to prevent mistakes. 



