2 



THE FLORAL IVORLD 



will wait to keep up the succession of 

 flowers in February and March. 



If one has but little space, a stand of 

 Chinese primroses with a few hya- 

 cinths will be all-sufficient to make a 

 cheerful window all through the win- 

 ter. One of my large double windows 

 is filled with begonias, which are now 

 doing their best. A tall abutilon, Sou- 

 venir do Bonn, with its variegated 

 leaves, stands at one side, while not 

 far from it is a begonia, Manicata Au- 

 rea. This latter plant is about three 

 feet high and has large, handsomely 

 spotted leaves, making a fitting mate 

 for the aoutilon. These two plants 

 and the begonias are about six or eight 

 years old. Each season they are bro- 

 ken and new plants started from them. 



The most desirable and excellent of 

 the begonias for winter blooming are 

 Nonpareil, Semper-florens Rosea, Ar- 

 gentea Gutata, and President Carnot. 

 Sanguinea is handsome both summer 

 and winter, and occupies a stand by 

 itself. 



I want to speak a good word for the 

 Chinese hibiscus, which every one 

 should add to his next order. The 

 hibiscus make a grand show 

 in the late summer and far into 

 the winter. I do not find them 

 quite able to stand being placed in the 

 cellar during their first winter, but 

 need to become well established and 

 have plenty of good root room before 

 being placed there. 



Mrs. T. S. Calhoon. 



Pennsylvania. 



CACTUS COLLECTING. 



There is something so fascinating 

 about the thorny things, that, once a 

 cactus lover, always a cactus lover. If 

 you live where they grow, there Is 

 nothing like a day spent clambering up 

 precipitous cliffs, and down steep can- 

 yons; peering here and there for 

 strange specimens; feeling amply re- 

 warded if only one new variety is 

 added to your collection, and how 



much more prized than one ordered 

 from a dealer! 



Often in the radius of two miles 

 only, thirty or forty varieties are- 

 found. Besides, you always have the 

 chance of finding a new, or unknown 

 variety, and mayhap a prized mon- 

 strosity. In my collecting tours, I 

 found that the most hardy sorts grew 

 more abundantly on the west and 

 northwestern exposures; and the more 

 sensitive sorts, sheltered by huge 

 crags and tufts of bushes, on the east- 

 ern sides of mountains entirely; with 

 the tall and handsome agaves border- 

 ing the canyon walls like sentinels. 



SuDiE Lavinia Pattison. 

 New Mexico. 



WHAT TO DO IN FEBRUARY. 



This is a good time to make arrange- 

 ments for correcting the mistakes and 

 failures of last season's plant growing. 

 It would be well, just at this season of 

 the year, to examine all bulbs and tu- 

 berous rooted plants, stored in the cel- 

 lar and elsewhere, and see that they 

 are quite dry and cool, as this is the 

 season they are apt to attract moisture 

 and begin to rot. An ounce of preven- 

 tion, just at this season, means a great 

 deal of pleasure a little later on, when 

 we bring from their winter quarters 

 strong, sound tubers of dahlias, cannas,. 

 caladiums, calocasias, gladioli, tigrl- 

 dias, tuberoses, zephyranthes, etc. 



This is the best season of the year 

 for using the knife on your hardwood 

 trees and shrubs. If you want shapely 

 shrubs and trees, do not be afraid to> 

 prune. 



This is the time to move shrubs and 

 perennials that have worn out the soil 

 and need a change of location, or that 

 have not "done well." 



This is the very best time to plan 

 the shape, size, and number of the 

 flower beds you intend to have, and 

 just where you will plant each kind 

 and variety. 



Ohio. Lucy John. 



