2 



which in England engages the attention of every 

 one, from Queen Victoria down, to arrange in winter 

 the beds, and the flowers to fill them, for the sum- 

 mer decorations of the garden. In most cases, the 

 ladies first ascertain what plants can be procured, — 

 Geraniums, Petunias, Cupheas, or various leaf- 

 plants, — familiarize themselves with their various 

 shades of colors, and then, with a rough sketch of 

 the beds to be filled before them, mark on each 

 what is to go in next spring. This is then handed 

 to the gardener time enough for him to get a 

 supply ready. This practice has been gradually 

 growing in England for the past thirty years, until 

 now it is the universal winter employment of all 

 ladies of taste ; and to this great interest in flower- 

 gardening by the English ladies, is the present high 

 state of the flower-gardening department there to 

 be mainly traced. 



Pruning should be completed as soon as possible. 

 Some judgment is required in pruning flowering 

 shrubs, Roses, &c., although it is usual to act as if 

 it were one of the most common-place operations. 

 One of the most clumsy of the hands is commonly 

 set with a shears, and he "goes through" the 

 whole place, clipping off every thing indiscrimi- 

 nately. Distinction should be made between those 

 flowering shrubs that make a vigorous growth, and 

 those which grow weakly ; and between those which 

 flower on the old wood of last year, and those which 

 flower on the new growth of next season, as the 

 effect of pruning is to farce a strong and vigorous 

 growth. Those specimens that already grow too 

 strong to flower well, should be only lightly pruned ; 

 and, in the same individual, the weakest shoots 

 should be eut-in more severely than the stronger 

 ones. Some things, like the Mock Oranges, Lilacs 

 and others, flower on the wood of last year. To 

 prune these much now, therefore, destroys the 

 flowering ; while such as Altheas, which flower on 

 the young wood, cannot be too severely cut-in, look- 

 ing to that operation alone. 



In pruning Roses, the Fall-blooming kinds, which 

 flower on the new growth, may be pruned as severe- 

 ly as we wish ; in fact, the "harder " they are cut- 

 in, the better. In this class are the Noisette, 

 Bourbon, Tea, China, and Hybrid Perpetual and 

 Perpetual Moss. Without considerable experience, 

 it is dif&cult for the amateur to distinguish these 

 classes. The best way to get over the difficulty is 

 to obtain the catalogues of the principal Rose-grow- 

 ers, in which each kind is usually classified. Ama- 

 teurs should pay more attention to the scientific — 

 if we may so term it— study of the Rose, and its 

 classification and general management. No class 



of flowers is more easily understood, and no one af- 

 fords so rich a fund of perpetual interest. 



Hyacinths, or other hardy bulbous roots that may 

 not have yet been planted, may still be put in 

 where the ground continues open. The beds of all 

 such bulbs should be slightly protected with manure 

 or litter, and be carefully watched for mice and 

 vermin, which are likely to avail themselves of the 

 shelter and feed on the roots. 



Lawns that are impoverished by several seasons' 

 mowings, will be improved by a good top-dressing. 

 This may be applied any time after the leaves are 

 gathered up, and before the snowfalls. Soot, wood- 

 ashes, guano, or any prepared manure, is best for 

 this purpose. Barnyard-manure is objectionable, 

 as generally containing many seeds of weeds. 



Evergreens set out last fall in windy or exposed 

 situations, will be benefited by a shelter of cedar 

 branches, corn-stalks, or mats, set against them. 

 Whether hardy or tender, all will be benefited 

 thereby. 



Hedges that have not had their winter dressing, 

 should be attended to. If the remarks we have 

 before made on hedges have been attended to 

 through the summer, 'there will be very little now 

 to do. We have said that pruning in summer 

 weakens a plant, while pruning in winter strength- 

 ens it ; and so, as hedges naturally get spoiled by 

 growing vigorously at the top, and weakly at the 

 sides, they should be severely summer-pruned at 

 the apex, and winter-pruned near the base. Now 

 will be the time to see to the latter, taking care not 

 to make it too narrow. A good hedge should be 

 nearly f our feet wide at the base, and be cut into a 

 point at the top. 



Manure for flower-beds, borders, etc., may be 

 hauled convenient to where it is likely to be want- 

 ed in spring ; many spread it on at once ; but if the 

 soil is frozen very thick, it prevents the early thaw- 

 ing of the soil in the spring, and so no time is 

 gained. 



Very small plants in borders or on the lawn, or 

 larger plants that may have been set out the past 

 season, should be mulched with any thing that will 

 prevent the ground thawing, and so, the plant 

 "drawing out." Most readers have done this in 

 the fall, but there is good to be done by it yet by 

 those who have neglected it till now. Keep a sharp 

 look-out for mice under the litter, however, where 

 it is wise from the value of the specimen to run no 

 risks; brown paper, afterwards tarred, may be 

 wrapped around the stems as far as the litter covers 

 them. 



