119 
OPERATIONS FOU JUNE. 
By this time the most important part of planting in the flower-garden ought to be completed. 
Where from any cause this work has been postponed till the present month — a position that is 
only justifiable when owing to the protracted recurrence of night-frosts, extreme aridity in the 
soil and atmosphere, or when a blaze of flower in Autumn is preferred to an earlier display — it 
should now receive the chief attention until it is fully accomplished. Of course, in those places 
where flowers are not to be dispensed with throughout the whole season, it will be necessary to 
remove many of the annuals, bulbs, and other things that have spent their beauty, and to fill up 
their places from time to time with a fresh stock, ready to expand blossoms almost as soon as 
they are planted. 
It sometimes occurs, as in last Summer, that the progress of these plants is marred for a 
considerable period, by the incidence of prolonged drought. Should this state of weather exist 
during the present month, or any time before the plants have entirely spread a carpet of leaves 
and stems over the beds, it will be preferable to use some means of checking evaporation, than to 
have recourse to repeated waterings. With a dry air and a scorching sun, waterings, however 
abundant, can do little good ; and they act banefully, by diminishing the temperature of the soil. 
It is a far wiser plan to retain moisture about the plants by the application of some covering ; and 
for this purpose, where it can be procured easily, there is nothing more effectual, or that looks 
neater than moss, stripped from the rocks in large flakes, so that the winds may not scatter it 
about. It is infinitely more eligible than short grass, or any of the mulchings more generally 
resorted to, on account of the more untidy appearance of the latter. A lot of oyster-shells placed 
round the plants is also a convenient and useful means of keeping the soil moist. 
But, although the continuance of a daily system of watering out-door plants in dry weather is 
at least useless, it is nevertheless essential to apply a copious watering immediately after planting, 
except during a showery time, in order that the earth may be well settled about their roots, so as 
to enable them to extend further with facility. And before laying on anything to intercept 
evaporation, the whole border should be rendered moist. This is the more necessary when the 
plants are transplanted from a bed, or have not been kept in separate pots. The more tender 
kinds of plants which have been treated thus, will require to be shaded, if bright weather succeed 
before they have got good root-hold of the soil. 
We would recommend those who have convenience for experiment to look over their collections 
of greenhouse and stove plants now ; and from those which can be spared, select what are likely 
to prove useful, to test their ability to endure and contribute ornament in the open air during 
summer. It may also be advisable to plant others under the protection of a south wall, in a 
border prepared for the purpose ; climbers may be trained against the wall ; and with the shelter 
it affords, many tender things thrive more prosperously than they do in the house. Manettia, 
Ach'imenes, Tropceolum iricolorum, and similar species, Thunbergia, various sorts of Cacti, and 
other things of like nature, will probably succeed in most localities that are in any way favourable. 
Among the many provisions now making for future show, the stock of Chrysanthemums must 
not be lost sight of. They are very frequently much neglected at this season, through the more 
pressing nature of the schemes in hand in the pleasure-ground, for a more immediate decoration. 
Particular attention should be exercised in stopping them as they advance in growth, to obtain 
bushy specimens, at the same time fostering a vigorous increase by giving them room ; and a 
strong rough loam, with a trifling quantity of leaf-mould mixed amongst it. Instead of incorporating 
much dung with the soil used in potting, it is far better to depend on the application of a clear 
liquid manure i by this means you will have more command over the development of the plant, 
through supplying a greater or smaller quantity, accordingly as it may be judged desirable. In 
choosing a station for them, many people select a spot beside a wall : this is not judicious, as it 
makes them grow one-sided. Let them be sheltered, but with a free and nearly equal accession 
of light on all sides. To gain a quantity of dwarf specimens for smaller pots, any old stools yet 
unseparated may be planted in a border of the reserve garden^ so that the stems may hereafter be 
layered into pots. All these plants under pot- culture require very copious watering ; and it is 
