160 



TLOWERS AI^D THE FLOWEK GARDEN. 



ture should be Festuca tenuifolia, two pecks ; Poa pra- 

 tensis, two pecks ; Anthoxanthum odoratum, three pecks ; 

 Loliian perenne tenue, two pecks; Agrostis stolonifera, 

 two pecks; white Dutch clover, one peck. For strong 

 heavy soils the mixture should be, Foa trivialis, two 

 pecks ; Festuca duriuscula, two pecks ; Fescula ovina, two 

 pecks; Anthoxanthum odoratum, two pecks; Cynosurus 

 cristatus, two pecks; Alopecurus pratensis, two pecks; 

 white Dutch clover, one peck. EoU the lawn regularly ; 

 sometimes with a very heavy roller." 



All the flower beds and borders should be forked and 

 regularly set in order. Wherever there is space for it 

 to be done without mischief to growing plants, shrubs, 

 or trees, let it be deeply worked, putting in leaf-mould 

 deep down, for a deep soil in a garden is alw^ays good. 

 Where beds stocked with perennials and roots of all kinds 

 render deep working dangerous, fork the surface, finely 

 pulverizing the mould, and taking care not to destroy. 

 Gardeners' careless forking and digging often destroy 

 plants which less careless owners find it very difficult to 

 replace ; and when a valued plant, or group of bulbs, 

 has disappeared, the only explanation to be got, " I dug 

 over the place, and I am sure I never saw it," gives very 

 poor satisfaction. As the flower beds are forked over, have 

 a mental eye to their future planting, and a bodil}^ one to 

 their present requirements, and as you progress put in 

 the compost and the manure most likely to produce 

 a good result for the coming floral season. 



March winds are strong ; none will deny that. After 

 gusty days and nights it will be advisable to look over 

 trained climbers and beds of choice flowers, and put in 

 order whatever has been disarranged, especially taking 

 care to fix and steady half-uprooted plants. V/here 

 winter wet has rotted stakes and ties they should be 

 renewed. 



Box and other edgings should be replanted and set in 

 order, all the garden reduced to perfect neatness, and 

 if any alterations in the planting be desired let it be 

 done at once, for we may now expect the growing season 

 to come upon us without loss of time, and when growth 



