A YEAR'S GARDENING 



Flower Garden. — In continuation of your work on the lawn, rake 

 over any bare or poor patches, loosening the soil thoroughly, and 

 scatter in a little grass seed, patting it down with the back of a spade. 

 Then give the whole lawn a top-dressing of some good grass-manure, 

 such as Carter's or Sutton's. 



DECEMBER 4 



Greenhouse and Frames. — Keep a watch on the Camellias; now 

 that the buds are swelling they need constant attention. [See 

 17th and i8th Nov.) 



Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — ^Take precautions for scaring the 

 birds from the Gooseberry and Currant bushes. The swelling buds 

 are tempting morsels to the birds, especially when frost prevails. 



Flower Garden. — Look over the beds, borders and edgings, and 

 note where they have become out of shape and are exceeding their 

 prescribed limits. Now is a good opporttmity to reform them. 



DECEMBER 5 



Greenhouse and Frames. — Examine the Pelargoniums and 

 Fuchsias, loosen the soil gently and see that they are not very moist; 

 they are better kept rather dry. 



Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Complete the work begun yester- 

 day for protecting the fruit bushes from the depredations of birds. 

 Black cotton, wound from twig to twig upon each bush, is an ex- 

 cellent method. 



Flower Garden. — Complete the work begun yesterday of re- 

 shaping and re-forming the borders and edgings. 



DECEMBER 6 



Greenhouse and Frames. — Start some Strawberry plants for an 

 early crop, giving them a moderate bottom heat. Use small pots. 



Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — ^Look over the fruit you have 

 stored — apples especially. See that none of them touch each other, 

 and remove any which have begun to decay. 



Flower Garden. — As in the vegetable garden [see 8th Dec.) 

 consider whether the system of drainage is adequate and improve 

 it where necessary. 



