THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
77 
kidney-beans in April, we may reckon as the first ; then, amongst 
others, there will be Scorzonera and Salsify, vegetable-marrows, 
ridge cucumbers, broad beans, as well as the scarlet-runners. The 
early turnips and some few others amongst the above will be off the 
ground in time for another crop the same year, and to follow them, 
lettuce or any other salading will do to keep the ground from being 
idle, and will be sure to be found useful. 
The culinary herbs, although trivial subjects to some cultivators, 
are to others of some importance, and should not, therefore, be 
treated as if they were of no consequence, which is sometimes the 
case, and then people wonder why they fail to do well. Many of 
them require a warm, well-drained border, and carefully transplant- 
ing every spring. For such as spearmint, fennel, and tarragon, a 
less favoured spot wdll serve ; but for sage, thyme, savory, and ma- 
joram, the warm border should be given them. 
OX SPEING FLOWERS. 
BY GEORGE SMITH. 
LY those who have enjoyed it can have any concep- 
tion of the gratification to be derived from a well- 
selected, well-filled flower-garden during the months of 
March, April, and May. Probably, in spite of all that 
has been said, some of our readers are strangers to that 
style of gardening. I propose to pen a few notes which may be 
serviceable to them, especially as the season of spring flowers is near 
at hand. There are hundreds who, if they only knew how charming 
a flower-garden may be made to appear through the spring months, 
would not hesitate for a moment, and would cheerfully give the 
requisite labour to accomplish so desirable an end. According to 
the amount of zeal displayed, with of course a little skill, there will 
be a corresponding amount of pleasure insured at a time when the 
majority of gardens present nothing but the naked earth in the 
beds, and when every flower is hailed with pleasure, ily own 
experience of spring-flower gardening is such that, although I only 
imperfectly worked it out, aflbrded much more pleasure to those for 
whose gratification it was done than the summer display of flowers 
in the same beds afterwards. 
In my own case, a portion of the old soil is taken out of the beds 
every year, when the spring flowers are taken up, and its place 
supjflied with fresh rich soil, which is well incorporated with the old 
staple. This plan must be adopted by those who wish to cultivate 
with success spring and summer plants in the same beds, and unless 
any one can do this, they must be prepared to see their summer 
bedders make but a poor display. Oue objection is, it takes a lot of 
labour to work up and keep the stock in good condition, especially 
as the principal trouble occurs at a season when the gardener is 
March. 
