OPERATIONS FOR APRIL. 71 
approaching an oval form. The flowers, of which several appear together at the axil of the leaves, 
are supported singly on peduncles of nearly their own length ; the corolla is a lengthened tube, 
spreading a little at the top, of an orange scarlet colour. In the Kew Gardens it grows about five 
feet high, and continues flowering for a good part of the summer. It needs a warm greenhouse. 
BoL Mag., 4149. 
OPERATIONS FOR APRIL. 
Ix is a natural thing to feel pleasure in any circumstance that awakens within us a sense of 
the returning kindliness of summer, and an early spring is consequently rapturously hailed by 
many. But how often, nevertheless, have a few short days of mild and genial weather been 
succeeded by a severity and inclemency that speedily blasted the expectations of the too sanguine ! 
Experience teaches that a premature warmth at this season is, in fact, to be regarded with a 
most suspicious cautiousness, particularly in the northern and inland localities ; and the observing 
culturist of tender flowers soon learns that a precocious heat and moisture is more frequently 
alike an enemy to his ease and his efforts, than a matter of gratulation and delight. 
We throw out this introductory caution to awaken those who are too apt to be lulled into 
forgetfulness of the past, and suffer themselves to be deceived by the fair promises of the present 
hour, to a recollection of the sudden and sometimes severe frosts which rarely fail to visit us in 
some part of this month, and occasionally in May ; and which are then proportionately destructive 
to the degree of previous excitement to grow, which the more delicate plants in the open air have 
sustained. Should the severe frost experienced in March, be succeeded by a mild, showery 
April, there must be no hurry to plant out tender things, or to dispense with the pro- 
tections of winter. Shelter is, in truth, never more plainly indispensable to success than 
during spring frosts, which succeed an unseasonable mildness. Indeed, it is a fact which we 
believe none will be temerarious enough to gainsay, that plants which actually needed no 
protection whatever during the depth of a winter's cold, become invested with a tenderness by 
the fickleness of our climate in spring, that renders them susceptible of damage from what are 
apparently very insignificant subsequent depressions of temperature. Therefore, we reiterate 
the advice not to be rash and premature in removing the emblems of winter. 
We must not, however, be misunderstood. We do not recommend plants to be cased up 
during fine weather, nor yet that the materials with which they are protected should be left 
staring in conspicuous places, when there is a conveniency near enough at hand for concealing 
them, without materially affecting the needful dispatch in their reapplication on a succeeding 
emergency. Every thing should be done to create and continue neatness, that can be done 
without endangering the success of the plant in its after progress. Neither do we include in the 
foregoing directions a recommendation to keep those plants in pits and frames, intended for the 
flower-garden, in a close confined atmosphere. Besides mere protection from frost, however, it 
is essential that these be kept growing somewhat freely ; but it will now also be equally necessary 
to prepare them for the open ground by a gradual inurement to a more exposed condition. The 
medium to be hit upon, is to manage this without starving and weakening them. If they are 
kept too close and warm, they will become too sensitive to cold to admit of removal to the open 
air without danger, till a late period ; and if they are subjected to a temperature very much 
depressed, or exposed to keen winds, vegetation will be paralysed, and it will be long before the 
plants effectually recover. Turf-pits carefully covered at night, and protected also in the day- 
time on the windy side, and from cold showers, afford a suitable shelter for many of the robust 
species, if ordinary precautions are observed in their construction, against damp. The employ- 
ment of a number of these at this season will likewise make room in other receptacles for 
providing a more ample stock of plants, both for the parterre and show-houses in summer. 
To assist the plants in acquiring vigour previous to being transplanted to the flower-garden, it 
is a profitable plan to repot those free-growing kinds that have filled their pots with roots, and 
begin to be cramped for want of space to extend further. With Calceolarias and similar things, 
this is indispensable to ensure fine display ; many of the plants which are neglected being liable 
to die from the decay of roots which ensues from confining them, and all suffering harm from the 
want of a suitable material to push new roots amongst. 
