ERE G£jL£2U>AB. 



165 



don't dig in snow or ice, for they will chili your borders 

 for weeks to come. Level turf, where its uneveuness 

 threatens to interfere with mowing. Protect tulip-beds 

 where the leaves are beginning to peep aboveground ; 

 also autumn-planted ranunculuses ; hyacinths likewise. 

 Cover them with hoops and mats, or canvass, when frost 

 threatens to be at all severe. Don't suffer snow to lie 

 on your walks. Search for the winter sleeping-places of 

 snails. Air, cleanliness, and shelter from excessive wet, 

 are necessary to the health of Carnations and Picotees. 

 Think well what you mean to do next spring, and 

 arrarjge accordingly; observe in ichicJi department you 

 are strongest; endeavour to improve that to the utmost; 

 make it your war-horse, your charger, your show collec- 

 tion, your speciality. 



FEBEUAET. 



Petite and tie in climbers on walls and trellises, such 

 as honeysuckles, clematises, birthworts, and American 

 allspices. Plant ranunculus-beds. Sow sand on lawns, 

 to make the grass come fine ; roll them, to kill moss ; 

 mow them, to make them thick and elastic. Look over 

 your Noisette, Bourbon, Hybrid China, and other free- 

 growing autumnal roses ; prune them moderately , # thin- 

 ning them out, but leaving the principal shoots long. Pray 

 don't cut them back to two or three eyes, unless you pre- 

 fer leaves to flowers. Now is the last time of asking, for 

 planting ornamental trees and shrubs. Make sure that 

 your supply of bedding-plants is likely to correspond to 

 the demand for them. Eernove dahlia-roots from their 

 winter quarters, and put them into heat for propagation. 

 Sow in small pots Maurandyas, Lophospermums, and 

 other climbing annuals, to get strong by May. Do the 

 same with sweet-peas, scarlet-runners, major convolvo- 

 luses, nasturtiums, and other less rare but popular 

 flowers. Pinish off every atom of undone winter work, 

 and keep that belonging to spring close up to the mark, 

 that you may have your hands at liberty to answer the 



